Chains of Fate (sequel to Silver Bells)
by Kaline Reine
Summary: Torn between the man she loves with all her heart, Kabuto Yakushi, and the others she also loves dearly, she must somehow find her way. It's almost time for their wedding, and Sakura Uchiha is conflicted. Riddled with dirty secrets and plagued by her past, this story is intense. Kabuto x OC (not mine) main pairing, with various side pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**Note: This story is the **_**sequel **_**to 'Silver Bells' however it differs a lot from that story and some things will be changed. This story is not canon, nor is it intended to be. It takes place in a similar alternate universe as one of my really old fanfics, Chains and Bells, as well as the same AU as Silver Bells. So it DOES NOT follow canon and it is NOT meant to. Also please note that this Sakura is Sakura Uchiha, is my friend's OC (not mine) and is not the same Sakura from the show, nor is she based on her. They have the same first name only. Thank you. c: **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content, including violence, torture, abuse of various kinds, incest, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 1:<p>

Everything was restricting her movement. She felt tangled, trapped under something soft. it seemed to mold to the shape of her body. Her throat felt even tighter when she realized that she couldn't breathe. A heavy feeling made it's presence known in her chest, sitting there like a hard stone. Everything was darker than it should be...

She gasped for air, sitting straight up. Her amber eyes shot open, glowing in the dark, darting around the pitch black room. Shadows were everywhere, slowly closing in all around her. She could practically feel the purring of the cat demon, deep within her. It was as if it were trying to calm her down.

A large lump moved beside her. Finally, Sakura realized she was at home, safe in her bed. Her fiancé was beside her in an instant, moving to console her.

"Sakura?" He asked, taking her hand and holding it in his. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." She replied, though not even fully convinced of it herself. She was still half dazed.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah... Just a bad dream, that's all."

Kabuto smiled at her sweetly, carefully scooting closer to her on the bed they shared. "You seem to be having a lot of those lately. Want to talk about it?"

She remained silent, her silver-tipped ears drooping down flat against her head.

"What? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do," she replied. "I just... It was a nightmare about my past... My distant past. Some things are still hard for me to talk to anyone about."

"I understand," truthfully he did, "I want to get to know you better anyway. You know a lot about my past and I still know very little about yours. So I'd love to know about it, if you feel like telling me. It might help to talk about it."

"Thank you for being so patient with me, Kabuto." Sakura smiled at him this time. She felt so lucky to have him in her life. She could barely believe she was engaged to be wed to such a perfect man.

"I'm all ears. It's what I'm here for, my love."

She wanted to tell him, she really did... The lump in her throat grew larger. Just thinking about it caused her entire body to shiver. She was trembling before she ever began talking. It was difficult to even think of where to begin. She'd never told anyone about her past before, not all of it in it's entirety anyway.

Kabuto noticed what she was going through. "You're trembling... Come here."

He casually pulled her into his lap, so that she sat facing him. Her kimono draped over both of them. Gazing into those gorgeous dark eyes of his was taking it's toll on her already. It made her nervous... But Sakura knew there was nothing to fear. Beautiful though he may be, he was deeply in love with her, and she with him. There was nothing they couldn't share with each other.

His presence alone was enough to soothe her worries, at least a little. He ran his hands through her fine silver hair, which matched his own, waiting until she was ready to explain. Feeling more comfortable, Sakura leaned against him and snuggled into his chest. He held her against him, protecting her from the demons which haunted her so...

"Alright," she took a deep breath, "I'll tell you everything."

"I'm all ears." His smile widened. She was so precious to him.

"I think all this started when I was little," Sakura began her story. "My parents were extremely abusive to me. The things they did to me were horrible, and that's one of the reasons I haven't brought it up before."

"Is that what the nightmare was about?" He calmly asked, doing everything he could to reassure her. It upset him to hear about it, but he knew he had to stay calm for her sake.

"Yes... They didn't seem to care about my pain and suffering at all! It made me so angry... The abuse got worse and worse. They would take me into the basement, where they had various torture instruments along the walls and laid out across a table. They would keep me out of school saying I was sick a lot. The things they did... were completely unforgivable. I was beaten, stabbed, burned, tortured, abused in almost every way. All of this on a daily basis."

Kabuto could feel tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He never knew she'd been through so much as a kid. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. It's not your place. Anyway," Sakura continued. "My parents both knew that the two tailed cat demon was sealed away in me. The Uchiha clan was responsible for that in the first place. At first they were just trying to get her to come out, you know, so they could see her power. The Uchiha clan had a plan... It involved me. But only because of her. I now know it isn't her fault though."

Suddenly, he understood. "They were trying to awaken the cat's rage and then use it to destroy the village..."

"Right. It was awful. They never succeeded, but that didn't stop them from trying... I was really quiet and was never allowed to say how I really felt. I kind of just withdrew into myself to deal with all of it, and there were times when I'm sure I wasn't all there. I couldn't do anything about it. I had to keep my defenses up at all times. I felt like an animal inside a cage."

Kabuto held her tight, hugging her as close as he possibly could. She responded by relaxing into his arms a bit. He felt like he should just let her keep talking so she could explain properly. He listened intently.

"My older brother Itachi was the one who saved me," she continued. "He caught on to what they were doing and put a stop to it. He skipped an ANBU mission and stayed behind, that was when he found out... He walked in while they were torturing me. He already had his orders to destroy the Uchiha clan at that point, but it wasn't supposed to happen yet.

"When he saw what they were doing to me, there was nothing that could hold him back. He decided to go through with the massacre earlier than planned. It was an impulse he couldn't ignore. Sasuke was in school when it happened. But there's a secret we've been hiding from everyone. And after all this time, I think it's about time someone heard the real truth."

"And what is that?" He asked, gently pushing her to vent to him.

"The truth is..." His fiancé took a deep, shaky breath. "I killed our parents myself. It was his duty to eliminate the entire clan, but he started with our family, and he let me do it. It was the only way he felt I could ever have peace. And it felt so good... Their blood staining my hands, after all the wrongs they had done to me; after all the agony and years of torture they had put me through."

The medic nin seemed surprised at her confession. His black doe eyes were wide with an emotion Sakura could not identify.

"Wow." Was all he said on the subject. "I wasn't expecting that... Does the Hokage know?"

"After the massacre, Itachi had to leave. There's no possible way he could have stayed in the village after something that tragic. That's when he turned me over to the Third Hokage, who took me in as his daughter so I would be safe. He told the Hokage everything. Sasuke's safety was also assured, but he was traumatized to the point where we could not convince him to come with me."

Kabuto had never heard about this, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was true. "I'm so sorry, my love. That must be an awful burden to bear. But truthfully, they deserved it."

"He told me I have to be strong," Now that the gates were opened, she continued to spill everything out. She felt she needed to get it all out of her system. "And I was. Sarutobi placed me with the Inuzuka clan later. They'd volunteered to take in any survivors from the Uchiha slaughter and I was the only one left. The only one willing to stay with anyone, anyway. Sasuke refused, saying he was better off alone... He never knew the truth. Itachi lied about the massacre to protect me, and he used the Sharingan to cast an illusion for Sasuke. He's been stronger than I have to keep such a secret all this time, when it cost him everything that was dear to him."

After that, the cat girl burst into tears.

Kabuto allowed her to rest her chin on his shoulder, holding her close for comfort. "It's okay to cry, Sakura... I promise it will be okay. Just let it all out."

"Th-thank you. You're s-so sweet." She managed to flash him a sweet smile, in between her sobs. They were gradually dying down after several long minutes...

"What happened after that?"

"Oh, curious are we?" She teased.

Kabuto smirked. "A little... But I'm also concerned about what you went through. I like knowing the things you've never told anyone else. It makes me feel special being so close to you."

Hearing him say things like that just made Sakura's heart melt... She wanted to spill everything to him, but she wasn't sure it was okay to do it all at once like this. She hesitated.

"These things take time, love. No worries." He reassured her. "You can tell me all about it when you're ready. Just let me know, okay?"

She didn't know what to even say, so she just kept quiet. He let her trace her fingers along his palm for several minutes. The two were just enjoying each other's company for a while. For some reason, she just didn't feel like that was enough. She needed him to understand everything that happened. She had to finally tell someone the whole truth.

"I took..." Sakura squeaked, trying to resume her story. "I took Itachi's katana... And I murdered our parents in cold blood. He said it was okay. He'd tied them up for me, and he stood idly by watching me do it, even as they begged for their lives. He wanted them dead too. He could never forgive them for what they did. I passed out on the floor after I did it, and I woke up in the hospital. They said the injuries I had sustained over time had become too much, especially coupled with the trauma of what happened. I still think it was the shock, the sudden rush, from the strange feeling of killing them... Now I have to live with it every day. Even now, many years later, I still cringe at the memory of it. And-"

"You stood up for yourself when no one else could." He interrupted. "That takes a lot of courage. Keeping such a big secret takes even more. You weren't in the wrong, sweetheart. Not after everything they did."

"They didn't kill me..."

"No, but they _could _have."

She knew he was right. "That's true... I chased Itachi everywhere, after the massacre was over. I freaked out when I found out he'd left Konoha and as soon as I left the hospital, I chased after him. I ran off into the woods in the direction he was last seen. I just ran and ran... The two-tails made her presence very much known."

"I can imagine... Didn't anyone come after you?"

"Mhm," She nodded. "They had to send someone after me to calm me down. The only person who could do anything was Kakashi. He used his Sharingan to calm her spirit, but he was just barely able to. Then he dropped me off with the Inuzukas, where Kiba and Hana took turns keeping an eye on me until I felt better. I never saw Itachi again until many years after that. Later I learned he'd joined the Akatsuki... I was devastated, but in a way, part of me knew he would be safer there. I just hadn't been thinking rationally."

"You've had a rougher time than I'd ever thought... I'm so sorry." Kabuto squeezed her in a hug, refusing to let go.

"It gets worse... I was completely devastated when Sasuke ran away too. It was years later, but it still hurt a lot and made me worry even more. We never talked much after the massacre. When I learned he had the intent to kill Itachi, it caused an enormous rift to form between us. I couldn't tell him the truth at first... I promised I wouldn't ever tell anyone. But eventually, I did try to tell Sasuke that I was the one who had killed our parents. He never believed me. He claimed I was lying to try to save Itachi from his wrath. I wasn't, but... No one ever believed me. Anyway, that's pretty much what happened back then..." She sniffled.

Tears formed in her eyes, at the memory of it all. She allowed them to fall now, soaking her fiance's shirt. He didn't seem to mind. Kabuto only gave her a comforting kiss on the cheek and made an effort to dry her tears with his hand, smoothing them down her face.

"Your secret is safe with me. I promise."

"I'm... I'm a... I'm a _murderer!_" She sobbed once more. "After all the pain and suffering they caused me, Itachi was right. I just needed to do it. It felt wrong, it still feels wrong, but at the same time it felt _so right_... Killing someone... Felt so right to me in that moment. How can you forgive me? How can you still see me the same way knowing that?"

"Sakura..." Her fiancé lightly petted her beautiful silken hair. "We're Shinobi. We are all murderers, in one way or another. I know that feeling more than you think. And I still see you as the same beautiful, strong girl that I fell in love with. Nothing you could tell me could ever make me feel any differently about you."

"I'm glad to know that." All she could do was offer him a small, sad smile. But it was enough.

"I love you with all my heart..."

"I love you too," Her crying had stopped now. "Thanks for listening to my annoying rambling, it means so much to me."

"It's not annoying at all, sweetheart." Kabuto made an attempt to change the subject toward lighter things now. He knew she needed to get some sleep. "For now, I think we need to rest. You have a wedding to plan, after all. Or did you forget?"

"Yes, you're right." She casually got off of him, climbing back into her own side of the bed. "I can't thank you enough."

"I'm just glad talking it out helped a little."

He curled up beside her, with his arms around her. Kabuto never wanted to let her go... She meant the world to him. Truthfully, he didn't think of her any differently after hearing about her past. Everyone had a past, himself included. Hers was a lot more traumatic than his had been, but that didn't mean he was going to judge her for it.

Sakura slowly let herself drift away into a peaceful sleep, safely tucked away under the covers, with her fiancé's arms wrapped around her...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; (She also wrote a lot of this chapter for her OC's backstory and most of the backstory is taken directly from her, so I claim no credit for that.) **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, including violence, torture, possible rape, abuse of various kinds, incest, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 2:<p>

A very sleepy medical ninja wandered into the kitchen... The smell of food being cooked had lured him in. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, as he stood in the doorway.

"Morning beautiful," he told his lovely fiancé.

"Good morning, my love." Sakura waltzed over and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "I couldn't sleep, so... I made breakfast." She flashed a smile at him, warm and contented.

Kabuto sat down to a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, and pancakes. She was a really great cook. She portioned everything out and didn't seem to make any mistakes. Their kitchen was pretty nice, but it was a little small and cramped. Especially with the large kitchen table and chairs that were in the middle of the room. Not to mention the boxes they still hadn't finished unpacking. She'd managed to work around all of it and do just fine though.

"This is delicious," He remarked, through a mouthful of food. "You're a really wonderful cook."

"Thank you." She blushed, also enjoying hers.

"I hope you're feeling better after last night."

Sakura thought about it for a minute. "I sort of am. I mean, it helped to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening and being there for me."

"No need to thank me. I do it because I care. If you feel up to it, I'd love to hear the rest of your story. I'm sure that's not all that happened, right?"

"It isn't, but..." She hesitated. "It'll have to wait until later. I'm supposed to meet with my father today. He requested to see you too. I just got word by messenger hawk this morning."

"Oh I see. Maybe it's about a mission...?"

Sakura nodded.

The two enjoyed the rest of their meal, before getting dressed in their usual attire. Sakura was still quite fond of the yukata that Kabuto had bought for her so long ago, when he was still with Orochimaru. That name alone brought back so many bitter memories... They were best left alone for now.

Once they were both dressed in their usual outfits, the couple was ready to go.

"Ready?" Kabuto asked her.

"Mhm." Nodding, she took his hand, and the two stepped outside.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, birds were chirping... Once they entered the main part of town on their way to the Hokage's office, they were met with the usual hustle and bustle of people making their way through the crowded street. They were used to getting odd looks from Konoha's residents since they'd come back. But the attention seemed to have died own, and everyone was getting used to their presence.

Once they reached the office, they were ushered into the building by an ANBU member. She had long purple hair and a cat mask. The woman tilted her masked head to one side, indicating a question, though she did not speak.

"We're here to see the Hokage... He asked to see us?" Kabuto answered her unspoken question.

The masked woman nodded, and motioned for them to follow. She took them straight into the Hokage's office and closed the door behind them, while she waited outside. It seemed they'd stepped up security a lot lately...

"Hello father," Sakura bowed her head to him briefly, and he returned the gesture. "I've brought Kabuto with me like you asked."

"I see." He stated, with all seriousness, before becoming more laid back in the presence of the only girl he'd ever seen as a daughter.

"Is there a specific reason you wanted to see us, or...?"

"I wish to extend my congratulations to you both, on your engagement."

"Thank you." Kabuto bowed deeply to him, in an expression of gratitude. He had a feeling the Hokage wouldn't have congratulated him if he didn't approve of their union.

"Oh!" She giggled delightedly. "We thought maybe you had a mission for us or bad news or something."

"There is one thing..." A worried expression came across Sarutobi's face.

"Name it." Kabuto knelt down on one knee, in a gracious bowing gesture. "And it will be done."

"My, my... In a hurry, aren't you?" The old man joked. "You don't have to kneel. Stand up."

"I prefer to stay in your good graces, and I feel I've already done a terrible disservice to Konoha." He explained, now standing next to Sakura. "I want to redeem myself properly."

"I still haven't finished planning the wedding!" The cat girl interjected. "It's in a few days and we still have so much to do... There are lots of preparations to be made."

"Don't worry. This mission won't take place until after your special day. I'm sure we have time. I'll give you a few weeks to get settled in... And then there is something very important I need you to do."

"That's very kind of you, father. Thank you."

"I'll get right to the point. It is tragic what happened with Orochimaru... You did an amazing job overcoming the unexpected kidnapping, Sakura. You proved yourself to be both strong and wise... Despite how it would have appeared to him."

"I hated acting the way I did," she confessed, "It was embarrassing but I had to do it to protect myself. Who knows what Orochimaru would have done if he saw what I am really like... And what my true power is."

Kabuto gave her a curious glance. "Your true power? What is that?"

"Go on. You should probably tell him about all of it." The Hokage urged her.

"Alright... Well I learned a lot of the basic jutsu I know from the Uchiha clan, mostly from my family. For a while, after my clan was... _eliminated_... I trained with Gai. He taught me Taijutsu and helped me learn to control my physical strength better. Then I trained with Kakashi for a while. He taught me Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, along with the Chidori technique. He also helped me control my chakra and control the urge to release the two tail's power when I was very angry."

"Sounds like you had some very good teachers." Her fiancé remarked.

"Yes, however... Eventually, my power became too much for them to handle..."

"Thank goodness for the toad Sage..." The Hokage chuckled a bit.

Sakura nodded, continuing to explain all of it. "Yep. Jiraiya helped me with all of this when it became too difficult for them to control my inner power. He taught me Rasengan and other useful techniques. Eventually... There came a time when even he could not handle me. I was partially afraid of my inner power too, but not nearly as much as they seemed to be."

"And rightfully so." The third Hokage smiled to himself, as he listened to her story. "So many memories..."

"That sounds absolutely awful..." Kabuto looked down sadly. "Did you ever find anyone who could train you and keep it under control?"

"Yes," She went on. "However... That is when Orochimaru took over and became my sensei. I was like a beast; truly wild... Because of all the abuse I went through, I couldn't let go of the anger in her heart, or the sadness. Not completely."

"I'm so sorry."

"At one point, I even transformed into the full two tailed cat beast, out of anger and sadness. Orochimaru was the only person who was able to get through to me and get me to revert back. On that day... We formed a bond and fell in love. I became... involved with Orochimaru."

Her words were like daggers in Kabuto's heart. He'd never known about her and Orochimaru. They were a couple? It was somewhat strange, considering all he thought he'd known about the two of them. He knew about what happened between them when she was kidnapped, but that was different. It had been forced on her... Hadn't it?

"Oh..." Was all he could bring himself to say. He was still listening to her story.

"I was around nineteen at that point. I should have been younger than Sasuke at the time, but for some reason the excess chakra from the two tails caused me to age faster than normal, until I got used to it.

"He was the only one who could break through my shell of anger. I kept it hidden deep inside, locked away... I never felt I could express myself in any other way. I just didn't know how. That's all I was ever taught."

"I can relate to that more than you know," Kabuto assured her, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"When I was younger," The cat girl continued, despite the fact that her ears lay flat against her head now, indicating her sadness and anxiety at remembering the more difficult parts of her past. "Orochimaru gave me some of his DNA... He bit my neck. It hurt like hell, but he did it to protect me."

"Is that what you really think?" Kabuto knew his former sensei better than that. "I know him. He'd _never _do something like that. He is the type who loves inflicting pain on others."

"_You're wrong!_" She took an unsteady breath to calm herself. "I mean... That's _incorrect_. As a result of the bite and shared DNA, I became able to bite and poison my enemies. He did it so I would have a better chance of protecting myself in the long run."

The look on his face was skeptical, but Kabuto still seemed to accept her story as fact. He knew she wouldn't lie to him... And she had been through so much. It was the least he could do to listen to her until she was finished. Maybe there was more he didn't yet know.

"And, as painful as it may be for you to hear this, he did all of this to help me because he loved me and wanted to make me strong." It was the hardest thing for her to say. "He gave me the choice before he did it, and I chose to endure the pain. He bit me... Just like a vampire... At first it was pleasurable, but due to the venom, it became painful and hurt like hell in only a few short seconds."

"That must have been so awful!" He shuddered just thinking about it. The snake Sannin had never bitten him, at least.

"But I didn't mind the pain at all. I was finally able to really feel something pure, something real for once in my life... You have no idea how freeing that is. Orochimaru was... He wasn't what people think. He was the only one who was ever able to get through to me. Later, he asked for my hand in marriage, and I accepted. We were very close and had an unbreakable bond. And then one day..."

He held her, as she began to shiver from telling the story. "It's going to be okay. Just take your time. I'm not going to judge you."

"Thank you," She smiled at him. "I admit, it is hard to talk about sometimes."

"There's just one thing that bugs me..." Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "If it was so wonderful, why didn't the two of you go through with it? What stopped you?"

"I'm getting to that. One day, something took him over and turned him into the monster that he is now. I was powerless to stop it. The true Orochimaru is still alive within the beast. Orochimaru's demon controlled him and made him do all those awful things. The torture, the fighting, the experiments, the forbidden jutsu... He wasn't really the one who kidnapped me, either. The demon also did that. We have proof of all this. But..." Amber eyes fell downcast, the shadow of her bangs barely hiding the upper half of her face. "I'm not sure if there's any way to save him."

The medic nin thought about it for a moment. It didn't sound too terribly complicated, to separate someone from a demon that took them over. "Stranger things have happened. I'm sure there is a way."

"You think so? Well, even if we did manage to help him... His crimes are too great to be ignored."

"You forget, my daughter..." The Hokage finally spoke. He hadn't wanted to interrupt them. "You were born with the will of fire. Nothing is ever impossible. Where there is a will, there is always a way."

Sakura's eyes lit up with hope. Hope that hadn't been there for a long time. Even if they did get rid of the demon which plagued him so, she knew that she could never bring herself to be with Orochimaru. She loved Kabuto way too much. He meant everything to her.

"I hope you aren't upset with me for not telling you about this before. It wasn't exactly safe... The reason why I covered up what I'm really like was to protect myself and those around me. If no one knew, then no one would attempt to use me to the extent of destroying innocent lives. Even though I would absolutely refuse, there is always a way to force someone to do something."

"I know. I do understand."

It made Sakura feel better, that he was being so understanding and accepting of all of this. She needed to know she couldn't drive him away. "I love you..."

"I love you too. What you went through... It was a terrible ordeal. And something that you never deserved to have to go through." She felt the warmth of her fiancé's strong arms surrounding her. "I'll never let you suffer through something like that again."

"Yes. It's been quite an ordeal for all of us." The Hokage nodded. "But she is my daughter. Despite the fact that she is the vessel for the two tailed beast... She still deserves a happy life."

"Thank you both..." She pried herself away from him long enough to hug the man she knew as her father for a moment, before pulling away.

"That is actually what I called you here to speak with you about," Sarutobi took on a serious tone. "I need to send you on a special mission... Your objective is to get rid of Orochimaru. I don't care how you do it. I'll give you all the details later. I know it may be painful for you, but... The truth is, we just don't have anyone else among our ranks who is capable of such a thing. I don't have a squad to send with you, but you may recruit whomever you wish. Though I've no doubt you're more than capable of handling it on your own."

"And what of Kabuto?" Sakura asked.

"Kabuto can't be trusted on a mission just yet, just in case of any remnants of treachery that may still linger. No offense."

"None taken," Kabuto bowed graciously to him once more. "I understand why this is something she needs to do without me. Just... Be careful, my love."

"I will." She remarked, solemnly. "And I accept this mission."

"I'm glad to hear it," He directed the comment at both of the young Shinobi in his office. "In the meantime, Sakura, you will be teaching some students at the academy and talking to them about what it means to be a true Leaf Shinobi. They look up to you, and they've missed you dearly. Kabuto, you will be assigned to take some shifts at the hospital, as a medic. It seems you're well-suited for that. And when Sakura gets back from her newly assigned mission, she will join you as a nurse at the hospital."

"I will redeem myself in any way that I can. That sounds agreeable to me." Kabuto smiled, standing next to his fiancé.

"That works for me too." Sakura added.

"Very well..." The Hokage shuffled some papers around on his massive desk. "You may go now. I'll see you both at the wedding, if not before then. The assassination mission won't take place until a few weeks after your wedding."

Her yellow eyes flashed brightly at the sudden mention of revenge. "I _can't wait_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 3:<p>

Sakura became nervous, as she took her first steps from behind the silver curtains. Her hair hung down her back in long tendrils, with little white flowers braided into it here and there. She wore a beautiful white dress, made of the finest silk and lace, with silver trim. She carried a bouquet of red roses, tied with a silver ribbon.

She loved the way the decorators had done things. She was very glad she'd hired the Yamanaka clan to decorate for her. There were flowers everywhere, all of them beautiful. Everything was done in tasteful white and silver, to better compliment her own colors. She felt tears starting to form in her eyes... Her wedding was incredibly beautiful. This was better than she ever could have imagined.

The cat girl did a double-take. "I can't believe this!" She marveled out loud.

She nearly fainted when she saw all the people. Nearly all of Konoha had turned out for their wedding! Sakura was still viewed as the Hokage's daughter, and it was quite a big deal in the their village.

They'd cleared out a space in a large clearing that used to be a training ground. There were chairs placed on both sides, full of all the wedding guests, with a long white carpet stretched out just for her. It was lovely.

Kiba, who Kabuto had chosen as his best man, had already walked down the aisle along with Hinata, who Sakura had chosen as her maid of honor. All the other groomsmen and bridesmaids had walked down the aisle, where they stood on both sides of the groom. The young ninjas from the academy were given baskets of flowers and told to scatter them down the aisle, on the white carpet. Sakura almost felt bad, as she stepped on all the little flower petals that littered the ground. They were so pretty...

She'd chosen to have a traditional piano rendition of 'Here Comes The Bride' played at her wedding. She looked to her right. Sarutobi himself stood at the side of his proud daughter, as he walked her down the aisle, as was customary for the father of the bride to do.

She blushed when she spotted her love waiting for her at the altar. Kabuto was smiling so brightly, she thought she might go blind. Sakura couldn't be happier on her special day.

Jiraiya was at the altar as well, waiting for them. He was a Sage, and one of very few in the village who had the power to join two people together in a way that was legally binding. Since he was her former sensei, Sakura trusted him. She wouldn't have let anyone else perform the ceremony.

It was nerve-wracking, seeing all of the heads turn in her direction. All eyes were on her... Sakura had never felt so happy. She normally didn't like drawing too much attention to herself, but today was the obvious exception. She couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with Kabuto. He was perfect and amazing and... She could go on forever just thinking of all the reasons she loved him. And the pleasant smile on her father's face showed his approval of such a thing.

_'I couldn't be happier...' _The inner cat demon purred her content, as well.

At last, after the long walk down the aisle, there was Kabuto... Standing at the altar in his lovely suit, waiting for her like the gallant knight he was. Sakura felt a sense of comfort flood through her, when she looked into his eyes. Onyx met yellow, and what they felt could not be conveyed with words.

"You have my blessing..." She heard her father say to Kabuto, before stepping to the side and taking his seat.

"Who has the ring?" The toad Sage muttered, trying not to alert too much attention to them.

Kiba, Sakura's childhood friend, held up a small pillow with the wedding ring on it.

"Here, it's all yours." Like Hinata, he was so happy for his friend on her special day, and just delighted in being able to be a part of it.

"Are you ready?" The toad Sage muttered to them, trying not to let everyone hear.

Kabuto and Sakura exchanged heated looks. "We were never more ready for anything in all our lives." The medic responded, on behalf of both of them.

"Very good, then we shall proceed." Jiraiya turned to all of the wedding guests. "We are gathered here today to join Kabuto Yakushi and Sakura Uchiha in sacred matrimony..."

He continued reading the vows, as they'd been done for hundreds of years. All she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears. This was it... Her moment to prove her undying affections for the man she loved more than anything. She knew it would all be over soon...

She noticed he seemed to not want to be away from her. As soon as she'd made it to the altar, he grabbed her hands and held them in his. The two were unconcerned with anything going on around them. Today was their union, and this was their moment... The time when they would finally be joined as husband and wife. It meant the world to both of them.

"Do you, Kabuto Yakushi, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness, in poorness, til death do you part?"

Without any hesitation at all, Kabuto replied... "I do."

"And do you, Sakura Uchiha, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness, in poorness, til death do you part?"

"I do." Sakura smiled with pride, as soon as it was done.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The groom closed the distance between them. She felt Kabuto's soft lips sweep across her own... She returned the chaste kiss, letting her lips meet his eagerly. It was the sweetest thing she'd ever experienced. The feeling was exhilarating.

And they were one.

"I love you so much..." He told her proudly, in front of everyone.

"I love you too." She smiled sweetly at her new husband.

After that, he put an arm around her, eager to show off his new wife to everyone. He led her away to mingle with their guests.

Jiraiya wiped a tear from his eye, noticing the Hokage watching him closely. "They grow up so fast..."

"Hm. Indeed they do." 

* * *

><p>Unknown to any of the spectators, a shadowed figured loomed at the edge of the forest which surrounded the training grounds. The Mangekyou Sharingan slowly swirled behind veiled irises...<p>

Itachi watched on in wonder, as his younger sister got married. He knew she loved Kabuto deeply, and he loved her in return. Just as he knew he could never be with her in the way he truly wanted. He'd watched her say her vows to the man of her dreams, hiding in the shadows all the while. In truth, he was happy for her. She finally had everything she'd ever wanted.

The corner of his lips curled upward, in a strange semblance of a smile...

Little did he know that directly opposite him, on the far side of the training grounds... Someone else was doing the exact same thing.

Sasuke was certain no one knew he was here... He'd been very careful not to let anyone follow him. He wanted to see this for himself. Apparently, it was quite an affair. The whole village had turned out for this! He felt a strange foreign emotion that he could not name. He watched Kabuto, the traitor to his master Orochimaru, wait as his sister walked down the aisle. He couldn't kill him even if he'd wanted to. Not with so many people watching.

There was some movement that caught his eye, just on the other side of the clearing where the training grounds ended. A mysterious cloaked figure. It was eerie.

_'Could it be...?' _

Curiosity got the best of him, and he ventured along the edge of the forest. The Uchiha was careful not to allow anyone to see him. He couldn't allow himself to spoil his sister's festivities. He needed to see who else was here spying on her wedding.

There, in the forest surrounding Konoha's old training grounds... He ran into the one he'd been waiting to kill for so long. Red met black, and his own Sharingan bled through into his eyes. He would have to stop Itachi from using the Mangekyou Sharingan, somehow... He didn't feel he was ready for this. He wasn't strong enough yet.

Itachi only stared at him, seeming to calculate his motives for being in the same vicinity at the same time. Sasuke did the same. It was surely no coincidence. He knows it would have been the perfect time to strike. But something held him back...

There were far too many Leaf Shinobi here. And this was Sakura's wedding day. He couldn't bring himself to attack when there was so much at stake for everyone. This was a serious occasion. Weddings were very rare in these troubling times. And it was his sister's... An Uchiha was getting married. This could lead to some very important things happening. It even had the potential to change the world. Like the revival of their cursed clan, for one.

_'Damn it...' _He thought to himself. _'I just... I can't do it!' _

The silent moment passed between them, their hearts pounding loudly in their ears... Once, twice... And the two enemies parted ways. Sasuke sheathed his sword with dignity. Itachi walked past him with grace.

He turned and walked away... 

* * *

><p>Once they'd managed to pry themselves away from all of their guests, they were finally able to leave the reception. Sakura and Kabuto were married now. They could finally begin their new life together...<p>

Tonight was their official honeymoon. They'd already made arrangements to leave as soon as the wedding reception was over. Sakura couldn't have thought of a better place to spend some quiet time alone with her new husband, than at the beach house, which she'd inherited from the Uchiha clan. Sasuke obviously wasn't going to use it any time soon, so it was all hers. The others had all forgotten about it by now, too preoccupied with killing one another off.

Large glass doors framed in cherrywood greeted them at the entrance of the nicely sized house. They walked through together. Kabuto held the door for her, while they both carried in their belongings.

Over the years, Sakura had secretly been keeping the house maintained so it would not fall apart. It wasn't the biggest one in the world, but it was still pretty nice. The house itself, particularly the balcony out back, overlooked a private beach.

"This place is beautiful. What other amazing secrets have you been keeping from me?" Kabuto asked, once they'd gone inside. He was already unpacking the belongings they'd brought with them. They were only going to stay for a few days.

"Nothing that I can think of," Sakura giggled. "But I'm glad you like it."

After the two unpacked, they needed to find a way to unwind. They were both really tired from their busy day. Unpacking had also taken it's toll on them. Dealing with all of the wedding guests had left them exhausted. It was getting late and the sun was going down.

"I know you're tired, but I can't think of anything more romantic than a walk on the beach at sunset." She mused, while putting away the rest of her clothes into a chest in their bedroom.

The room was beautiful, all done in the purest white. She'd had her friends help her with getting it ready for her big night. They'd giggled and gossiped the whole time. Sakura had such fond memories with her friends.

"It would be the perfect ending to a perfect day." Kabuto agreed. "So let's go."

The two took turns going into the bathroom to put on their bathing suits, grabbed some towels, and headed down to the beach. That was the best part of a beach house, after all. They also had a hot tub, they maybe they would save that for another time.

Right now, more than anything, Sakura just wanted to explore. She'd spent a lot of time fixing this place up, and nearly no time actually enjoying it for what it was. She wore a cute pink and gold bikini that she'd picked out just for this trip. She could tell Kabuto liked it, if the way he was looking at her with such hunger in his eyes was any indication. Pretending not to notice, the young Kunoichi led the way out to the beach.

"Actually there are rumors of an Uchiha mansion..." Sakura was telling her husband, as they sat together on the golden sands, looking out at the ebb and flow of the waves. "This beach house is nothing compared to that. But no one's heard anything about it in years. Tsunade told me she'd have someone look into it for me. I should probably find her and ask her about it soon."

"Tsunade?" Kabuto's eyes widened in astonishment. "I haven't heard that name for quite some time. She's quite a famous medical Ninja. How do you know her?"

"Oh, we met years ago, back when Jiraiya was training me. It was shortly after I'd learned the Rasengan, if I remember correctly."

"Ah, I see... Well it would be nice to live in a fancy mansion, but we have what we need to get by..."

"Very true." She smiled at him, enjoying his company. "I'm so grateful for that."

Together, they watched as the last rays of color faded from the evening sky. The sun was setting over the water, casting a multicolored glow over everything.

"This sunset is the most beautiful I've ever seen..."

"Me too."

"I'm sure it's largely due to who I'm sharing it with." Kabuto put his arm around her. The two let the waves from the beach wash onto their feet. "My lovely wife..."

Sakura got an evil idea. She just had to break the dramatic tension somehow. Smirking, she leaned forward just enough to splash some sea water at his face when the next wave hit.

"Hey!" He sputtered. She was already on her feet, running away. "Get back here!"

The cat girl giggled, as she ran along the beach. Sand covered both of her feet. She didn't care at all. She was lost to the rest of the world right now... Her world eventually reached her, putting his arms around her so she couldn't get away. Not that she really wanted to.

"Got you!" He touched his nose to hers. "Thought I was gonna kiss you, didn't you, you little cutie?"

"N-no..." She lied. "Baka..." She whispered the Japanese word for idiot, under her breath.

"I heard that." He smirked, adjusting his glasses with one hand, but still not letting her go.

Sakura leaned forward and planted a nice wet kiss right on his cheek. "I love you, my silly husband."

"I love you too, beautiful."

She blushed. It made her wonder why he was still holding her so close... And then she remembered it was supposed to be their honeymoon. So this was completely okay. They were husband and wife now. Nothing could separate them. Not even air.

Their lips locked in a fiery fury that would have put any fire Jutsu user to shame. Kabuto teased her with his tongue, before delving into her mouth passionately. A shiver ran through her, as she reached up to tangle her hands in his smooth silver hair. Their tongues danced together, their bodies preparing for the inevitable. Kabuto's hands stroked down her sides, pulling her closer to him.

She could barely stand on her own right now, so she was grateful to be able to lean on him. It was hard enough to walk in the sand as it was... And speaking of hard things, she could feel her husband's length pressing into her thigh.

"Oh... Kabuto..." She moaned, feeling like she might faint. This was so terribly romantic.

"Let's go back inside. You must be tired." He whispered to her, in between kisses.

Sakura could only nod. She took his hand, and he led her across the sandy beach. They went up the old wooden steps, into the glass doors that led onto the balcony, and somehow managed to make it to the living room.

He could resist her no longer. Kabuto threw her onto the couch and began pulling at her bikini strings, immediately.

Sakura was overwhelmed. She loved him, but wanted to do this right. This was their honeymoon, and the first night they were to be together as husband and wife. She was so happy to be with him that it hardly mattered. Still, she felt it would be best to do this properly.

"Maybe we should take this to the bedroom?" She shyly suggested.

He could see the blush deepen in her cheeks. "Alright. I'll carry you."

The medic nin picked her up, bridal style, and carried her all the way to their bedroom. It was almost comically appropriate for their situation. Sakura blushed, as he laid her down on the bed.

The top had already fallen off of her bikini, exposing her luscious breasts to his gaze. Kabuto licked his lips lustfully, already toying with a nipple using his left hand. He supported her back with the right, loving the way she arched and moaned when he did that. He licked a hot path up her chest, pausing to suck on her other nipple, and then continuing upward to bite her neck.

"Mmm..." She moaned, almost shaking with passion beneath him.

"You're so lovely my dear..." His lustful voice cooed. "So very sexy. And all mine."

He paused to take off his own clothes. He was exposed from head to toe. Sakura managed to look at his erection, the lights were still on and she could see everything. His large member seemed to pulse with a mind of it's own. Precum dripped from the tip, and they'd barely even gotten through the foreplay yet. He was more than ready for her.

Wanting to please his wife on their wedding night, Kabuto continued to go slowly. He knew she would be happy to return the favor later on. Kneeling between her legs, he gently pulled the strings on the bottom half of her bikini, tossing it aside. He removed his glasses and placed them on the nightstand. Then he came back for her.

His gentle lips kneaded the soft flesh of her inner thighs, silently asking for entrance.

_'He can't be planning to... Really? Down there?' _Sakura's eyes grew wide. Luckily he was too busy to notice.

She felt his tongue exploring around her vulva, before darting upward and teasing her clit. Kabuto's fingers spread around her lips. His tongue licked her everywhere, eventually venturing inside her core.

It felt so wonderful, so deliciously hot... Sakura was already seeing stars. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she tangled them in his hair, ready to pull him off if he accidentally did something that made her uncomfortable. Mostly, it just felt soothing and really soft. He was being careful to avoid using his teeth. The warmth of his mouth on her sex was incredible. She could feel herself getting close to climax already.

And then he stopped. Sakura let out a little mewl, still craving for more.

He gracefully moved back up her body, leaving a trail of little kisses all the way up her body. She certainly was ready for him now. And he was still hot for her.

"Kabuto..."

She'd had enough with the teasing. The cat girl pulled him down on top of her, letting her claws run down his back.

"Nnnnh... Sakura..." He moaned, placing his length at her entrance.

He slipped into her, so slowly that she felt like she might die if he didn't take her soon. Easing himself down, he picked up her legs behind her knees to allow himself better access. He began picking up the pace, plunging in and out of her with renewed vigor.

Sakura moved her hips beneath him. It was a new position, but he wasn't hurting her legs at all. He was being very careful. She wanted him to know that he didn't have to treat her like glass. She would not break.

"Ohhh!"

He hit a spot within her that sent sparks through her entire body. His size alone was already causing her to feel almost unbearable pleasure. Coupled with the fact that he certainly knew how to use it... And she was in heaven. Pure bliss.

She wrapped her legs around him tightly, unable to stop her muscles from clenching his cock tightly. She was nearing her orgasm, and they could both feel it. Now it was Kabuto's turn to cry out. He moaned loudly, making love to her in a fevered bliss. The warmth of her around him, and the way she moved beneath him; she knew just what to do to drive him wild... He could feel himself getting close.

"Ahh!" He exploded, his semen spilling into her. "Sakura... Mmm... My love..."

"Ohhh Kabuto!" She reached her peak at that exact moment.

Kabuto lay his head on the pillow, thoroughly exhausted, and looked over at his bride. She lay beside him, purring contentedly. Sakura put her arms around him, lying with her head on his chest. He placed a protective arm around her.

The two fell into a deep, dream-filled sleep. Nothing but peace awaited them. 

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Just for the record, I know those aren't actual wedding vows, word for word. I've been married before. I was just paraphrasing, for the sake of the story. I hope their first night together came out well. I think they had fun. c: <strong>

**-k.R. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4:<p>

Kabuto and Sakura spent the next few days enjoying each other's company, swimming in the ocean, and helping each other prepare nice meals to enjoy together. It was very peaceful out at the beach house. They both wished they could go on like this for the rest of their days, just enjoying each other's company with nothing to come between them... But even good things must eventually end.

Their vacation days passed, and the two had to return home. They had just arrived back in Konoha...

Kabuto had insisted on carrying their luggage back to their modest home by himself. Sakura noticed that someone was waiting for them outside. An older woman with two long blonde pigtails and a very obvious bust size, that almost rivaled even her own, was standing outside their house.

"Lady Tsunade?" The cat girl chirped cheerfully, waving to her in greeting.

"Hello Sakura," She bowed respectfully. "Kabuto..."

"Hi there," The medic nin went past her, and waited patiently while his wife unlocked the door for him. "I hope you'll excuse me, but I have some unpacking to do." He went in and put the luggage and boxes down.

"Interesting. You might want to wait for a little while on that."

"What do you mean? Do you have news for us?" Sakura's silky gray tail swished back and forth apprehensively.

"Yes. That's why I'm here. It's about that matter you asked me to look into for you, while you were away..."

"The Uchiha mansion? So it exists?"

"Yes." She nodded, a cheerful lipstick-covered smile on her face. "I've found the location of the infamous Uchiha mansion. After investigating further, it would seem that you are the heir since the only other two survivors cannot be reached and are no longer citizens of Konoha."

Kabuto heard everything. He turned around to find the Sannin woman on the ground, pinned there by the cat girl's eager embrace. Sakura had tackled her to the ground in a giant hug.

"This is wonderful news!" Sakura exclaimed. "I can't thank you enough!"

"Well I'm glad you're so excited. But would you mind getting off me now?" Tsunade dusted herself off, patting the girl on the head.

"Sorry. I'm just really happy..." She went back to being her usual serious self.

"It's alright." Tsunade presented her with a large silver key. It was attached to a necklace. "Take this. It's the key. According to our records, the mansion was hidden by a special Genjutsu all this time. Apparently it's one that only your clan can use. I managed to dig up some information about it... Only Sharingan users are able to make it appear."

"So that's why we weren't able to find it before... Makes sense. Well how do I get there?"

"If you have time, I can show you the way right now."

"Sure!"

Kabuto walked alongside them, as she led them through Konoha. No one seemed to notice anything strange. Tsunade was greeted by lots of people on the way. Everyone knew about the three legendary Sannin warriors of Konoha... They were well-respected. She was one of them, Jiraiya was another. The third was... Orochimaru. But she always tried not to think about that too much.

They walked outside the safety of Konoha's gate, going into the Uchiha district. It had long since been abandoned. And ever since the massacre, no one dared to venture there anymore. Superstitions regarding the ghosts of the Uchiha clan, slaughtered in cold blood by one of their own, were spread everywhere among the residents of the Leaf Village.

It was a morbid place that was generally avoided.

"Here we are." She pointed to a small clearing at the very end of the Uchiha district. There was a large circle on the ground, where nothing grew. "Could you activate your Sharingan, Sakura?"

"No problem." The cat girl licked her lips. Her yellow eyes changed to a deep red color, the classic tomoe spinning in them slowly.

"Did they ever teach you a jutsu called..." Tsunade whispered it to her.

"Oh yes... When I was really little. They shared the secrets of the clan with everyone from birth, and onward, just in case we ever needed them."

She concentrated all of her chakra into her eyes, and blinked. It took intense concentration, but slowly... An enormous building emerged from the rotten, sour ground. It looked very old, with ancient style architecture, and heavily decorated windows and doors. But the beauty was incomparable to any building she'd ever seen. And it was almost as big as the Hokage's office!

Kabuto and Tsunade looked on in awe. The medic nin's jaw dropped. They never thought it could really be possible. The first floor looked pretty dusty just from glancing inside, but otherwise it still appeared to be in pretty good shape.

"It may take a little work to restore it, but in the end it will be worth it. The two of you could move here and sell your house if you wanted. Anyway, it's up to you. From what I understand, it should remain above ground until you choose to reverse the jutsu yourself."

"I'm tired..." Sakura admitted, panting from her ordeal. It had taken a lot of energy to do that. She sat on the front step of the house, not even daring to go inside yet. "Who would've thought that this huge building was hidden here? I never even knew! And for it to be so nice and in such good condition too... I'm amazed."

The Sharingan faded from her eyes, as she sat there.

"Long ago, they needed to hide the building which housed their most important artifacts. It was once the home of the heads of the Uchiha clan. Only nobles lived here," Tsunade explained. "And since there are no nobles or anyone else left, I suppose that makes you royalty, in a way."

"How are we ever going to fix this place up? I'm still exhausted from fixing up the beach house... And we still have work to worry about, on top of that." The cat girl murmured.

"I still have some money left over from when I left Orochimaru..." Kabuto declared, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder and giving her a little massage. "We could just hire some civilians to clean it for us, or at the very least, help us with it. For the right price, I'm sure they'd help us move too."

"Oh, you're right! I never thought of that. Thanks!" She replied.

"No problem at all. It's going to be awesome once we get it fixed up!" His onyx eyes sparkled in the sun, from behind his glasses. He was actually getting excited about this.

"Hm. I'm very glad I could help." Tsunade smiled.

"Oh yes, thank you as well..." Sakura allowed her husband to help her to her feet. "I'll be sure to pay you for your time and effort, once we manage to sell some things."

"That's what I like to hear." She laughed. "I'll have some gambling money! Woohoo!"

"Well..." The cat girl's expression suddenly became a lot more grim and serious. "There is something else I'd like to speak with you about, before you go, Lady Tsunade... I mean, if you don't mind?"

Even Kabuto didn't know what it was, for certain. He assumed it would have something to do with the mission her father had mentioned to them before. He watched them both with mild curiosity. He was sure that whatever it was, they would sort it out. She would fill him in with all the details later. He trusted her.

"I apologize, but I really want to get an early start on moving some of our things in. It's going to take a long time. And I still need to find some help. Would you mind if I go ahead and get started?"

"I don't mind. That's kind of you. I'll be along to help in a bit." Sakura gave him a kiss on the cheek, before he left.

"What's with him?" Tsunade wondered out loud, once he was out of earshot.

"Oh, he's always been a little jealous of your medical skills. And the fact that you wouldn't take him on as an apprentice, but chose Shizune instead."

At that, she laughed heartily. "There were other reasons I chose Shizune... But anyway, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh yes..." Sakura played with her hair, nervously. "In a short time, I will be leaving on a special mission. The Hokage has ordered for me to destroy Orochimaru. Or at least... His evil side. I believe there might be some way to save what's left of him. The real Orochimaru, that is."

Tsunade nodded in understanding. She'd known the snake man since they were children. The three Sannin had all trained together, under the Fourth Hokage. "I agree. But I don't think it's something you should do alone. You know how dangerous he is."

"Right. I was told that I could ask others for help if I wanted. And I hate to ask, but... Do you think you and maybe Lord Jiraiya might be able to accompany me on this mission?"

"I'd be happy to. I'm certain he would as well. But there is one problem... Right now, we've kind of got our hands full with a rather difficult S-rank mission."

"I thought that might be the case. I wanted to ask some of the others, but... It's just too dangerous to ask anyone else. This is something only the legendary Sannin could help me with. The Hokage is willing to pay anyone who comes along. This is an S-rank mission too."

The blonde thought it over for a moment... "Very well. I cannot promise, but we will try our best to meet you outside of his lair on the day of the attack."

"Thank you Tsunade! Thank you so much!"

Sakura hugged her. She just couldn't hold herself back. A maybe was still better than an outright no. Especially from one of the most feared warriors in the village, a Sannin. 

* * *

><p>For the next few weeks, things went reasonably well. Kabuto had hired some civilians to help them clean up the mansion and get moved in. It had exhausted all of his funds, so now they both needed to work now. They couldn't afford to take anymore time off. But they had gotten settled in the mansion, and brought everything with them. Their old house was also up for sale, but they hadn't had any buyers just yet. They would have to find something to occupy themselves with in the meantime.<p>

They took on various small missions... They were able to go on some of them together, others not. When they got back from the missions and were told they didn't have anymore right now, Kabuto was placed back into the work force. He was given a job as a medic at the hospital. It kept him pretty busy, since he was very good at healing, and his expertise was sorely needed at all times.

During her down time, Sakura was told to resume her training with Kakashi. She hadn't seen him in years, but there was no time to get reacquainted like the present.

It was her first day, and she was very nervous and scared. But Sakura was determined to go through with the training anyway. She hadn't really trained since she'd gotten back from being kidnapped... She knew she needed a little refresher course, and she had jumped at the chance to sharpen her skills.

She waited at the specified training ground for him to show up. She didn't know why she'd even bothered showing up early. He was always late. Classic.

"It's been a long time." His friendly masked face greeted her. "Hello Sakura."

"Kakashi sensei! It's been so long. How have you been?"

"Well, I've not been too bad. I'm sorry to hear about what happened. Your father filled me in on everything you've been through. It must have been devastating."

"Kind of..." She forced a smile, not really wanting to talk about it. Today had a strange feeling about it. "But I'm alright now. What should we start with?"

"Eager to learn, as always. I've always liked that about you. First, I'd like to see how much you remember. Try using a combination of techniques." He gestured to some straw dummies that he had set up on the far side of the training ground. "Hit them with everything you've got. Use Ninjutsu only."

The cat girl eagerly began attacking the training dummies. First she used the basic Fire jutsu that her clan was so well-known for. Rasengan was next, followed by her Chidori technique. She'd saved the one Kakashi had taught her for last.

"Kyaaahh!" She cried, as she destroyed the last dummy.

"Alright, very good." She could tell he was smiling, from the way his one visible eye crinkled at the corner. It was kind of charming. "Now we're going to try seeing some of your tactics on the battlefield. We're going to go into the forest and simulate a surprise attack. Just don't wander outside the training area. I'm going to hide my chakra signature, and use my Sharingan to cast some Genjutsu. You'll have to be able to detect me once I come out and attack you, and counteract it with yours. Got it?"

"That sounds simple enough. I can do it, no problem." Despite her brave words, the cat girl's voice sounded a little shaky.

"Alright. Here we go."

Poof! Kakashi made a hand sign, and then vanished. She expected him to attack her right away, but of course he didn't. This was supposed to be a surprise attack. Sakura wandered around the forest, constantly expecting him to come at her. She couldn't see him, nor could she sense him anymore. The copy-nin was very good at staying hidden when he wanted to. He seemed to specialize in being mysterious.

Wandering through the forest, she kept looking over her shoulder at every turn. She didn't know where he would strike from next. It made Sakura feel paranoid, and she hated it. She knew he was out there somewhere...

"K-kakashi? Sensei? Helloooo?" She called, to no avail.

Minutes ticked by, and then hours. She couldn't shake the way she was feeling, so nervous and scared. She couldn't shake the feeling of absolute fear and misery that crowded her mind, and her judgment. No matter what she tried, she just couldn't shake any of it or get it off her mind. This brought back so many memories of everything she'd been through. It all just came flooding back. She had to get out of here! She couldn't take not knowing where her enemy was. She felt so alone... And so she ran away.

Unable to take the pressure any longer, Sakura left the training ground. She knew Kakashi would probably come looking for her, that's why she had to hide! She wasn't exactly thinking rationally anymore.

She ran and ran... She had to get away from there. Unable to stop herself, Sakura found herself deep within the forest. She was far away from where Kakashi would be. And it didn't look like he'd followed her. Good. She was crying now. The cat girl was too emotionally torn up to let_ anyone_ near her.

She just let her instincts guide her further and further away, until she came upon a lonely cave. No one was around. Sakura felt it was a suitable hiding place. She needed to be alone for a bit.

Gathering her courage, she went inside. It didn't look like there were any wild animals around, which was good. Sakura went as far back in the cave as she could. It was almost pitch black. There was no way he would be able to find her here... She'd be able to cry it out, and then go back to the training spot when she was finished.

Something caught her attention, though. There was a dim light shining near the back of the cave. That was just... odd.

_'That shouldn't be... Maybe I'll check it out.' _She thought.

Sakura mentally prepared her herself for anything that might await her. Whatever it may be, she felt she was ready to take it on. With a deep breath, she slowly crept toward the dim light. It was a very small fire. It smelled like someone might have been cooking something recently, but whatever it was, it was gone now.

Someone was leaning over the flames. She couldn't tell who it was. She moved a little closer, trying her best to be silent. In a flurry of movement, the person turned around.

A pair of blood red eyes greeted her. "Hello... _Little sister_." 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5:<p>

"Hello... _Little sister_."

He'd purred the words with such a silken lust to his voice. There was no mistaking it. Sakura stood face to face... with Itachi. His face was completely stoic and serious.

"What are you doing here?" She asked the obvious question.

"Hiding." His face hinted at a smile, though it was barely visible. "And you?"

She giggled a little. "The same, actually. But why are you hiding?"

"It's not easy for me to say... But you know I can tell you anything." He still hesitated. It was only for a moment, but it was there. "I'm just here on a solo mission for Akatsuki."

"Oh..."

There was a long moment of silence. Something unspoken passed between them. Sakura didn't know what she should say or do. She felt like there was more to it than that. Why would he be hiding so close to Konoha, and to their training grounds? Why was he sticking so close to her?

"I love you, you know that right?" His words came out so smoothly, she barely knew he'd spoken them at all.

"I love you too..." It was an automatic response, spoken without even thinking. Because it was simply true.

Itachi was on her in a flash. Like lightning, he zipped to her side to cover her body in an embrace that only he could provide. Hugging him felt so different from when she would hug other people. He was the only one who could offer her total comfort with no words at all. He hadn't even needed to say it like that. She already knew.

Slowly, silently, her tears began to flow... She just couldn't keep all of the pain inside anymore. Everything else was forgotten, as Sakura was embraced by the brother she loved so much. She was willing to risk anything for him, easily and without question. Her unfaltering loyalty was something even Itachi could admire. Loyalty always had a purpose, after all.

The older Uchiha didn't know how to react to her tears. He saw them falling, the light of the fire he'd made glinting off of them in the darkness of the cave. He was feeling quite emotional himself, but he would not allow his own tears to fall. He would find other ways to convey his sadness.

"I'll protect you... Always." Itachi whispered in her ear.

She felt the heat of his breath on her skin, and it gave her goosebumps. He felt Sakura trembling in his arms. He was unable to help her the way he wanted to. Both Uchihas struggled together, alone together in the cave, feeling lifeless; riddled with inner turmoil the likes of which neither had ever experienced.

And it all came crashing down in an instant. A single wicked kiss brushed across her lips, and it was all over... His touch felt so nice, he was being so gentle. It sent sparks through her, and she pulled back, alarmed.

"Itachi..." She broke the kiss, intent on gaining an answer from all of this. "This is madness. What are we doing?" Her hands moved up his chest, furthering the distance between their bodies. "I'm married now."

Her amber eyes reflected the golden light so beautifully, as they looked downcast at the filthy cave floor. Itachi placed a hand under her chin. He tilted her head up, bringing her eyes to face his own. No Sharingan awaited her there. It was only the sweet placid black of her brother, the one from so long ago... The one who had been her childhood protector. The one who sacrificed everything to save her.

Sakura found her hands toying with his hair. Those inky black locks that framed both sides of his cracked porcelain face, like two wispy curtains... And she leaned into him, snuggling into his chest. Itachi held her close, not wanting to let go.

"I know," He told her. "I was there for your wedding. You didn't see me, but..."

"You came?"

"I did." He nodded.

She could tell he was serious. "I wish you could've been there as an actual guest. Maybe even walked me down the aisle, along with my father..."

"That man isn't your real father, you know."

"Don't treat me like a child!" She spat, venomously. Obviously this was something of a sore subject for her. "I know that. I know it all too well."

If there was one sure-fire way to cease someone from talking, it was what he did next. Itachi pushed her to the ground, seeking out her vulnerable flesh with a kunai. He dragged the single kunai along her skin... Feeling the contours of her body through the minuscule vibrations of the cold, hard steel. He was a skilled Shinobi, an assassin trained to kill. Once wrong move was all it would take.

"What a lovely way to vent your frustration..." Itachi murmured. "Hunting me down and forcing me to take certain liberties with your beautiful body."

The way he spoke... It did things to her. Bad things... Sakura tried to fight down the animalistic urge to give in to him.

She would be playing right into his hands if she did that. And she knew it! She knew better. She knew so much better, but here she was... Doing it anyway. Sakura took in a shaky breath to calm herself. This was dangerous. They couldn't afford to be caught doing such a thing. Even being in one another's company would look bad enough, let alone anything suspicious happening.

It was too late. Itachi took hold of her training gear, stripping it off piece by piece. He laid it on the ground next to them.

"Wait..." Her voice sounded far weaker than she intended.

"Yes?"

He raised an eyebrow, surprised at her sudden request. She knew he wouldn't really force himself on her. This was all a ruse... He was simply trying to get some reaction out of her. And he had won. Again.

"I... I'll give you..." She muttered a few words under her breath.

"Sorry. I didn't catch that." His eyes narrowed. He let the kunai wander up her throat, drawing an invisible line down her cheek, before flicking his wrist and putting it away inside his cloak.

"I'll give you a blowjob. We don't have time to do anything else. We could be caught and-"

"No one knows we're here."

Sakura wasn't so sure. "I was just training with Kakashi. If he finds us, especially doing things like that, we're both dead. And I don't know how quiet I could manage to be." She blushed, as she spoke her last sentence.

Her elder brother was unconcerned with any of that. His resolve remained, cold and unwavering as ever. When he wanted something, he went after it. Simple as that. He was not afraid of Kakashi or anyone else from the Leaf Village. he simply didn't care... But it may make things more complicated for her if they were caught and he had that to consider as well. Especially if he killed her comrade.

"This is true, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We're two adults here. We may be caught up in the middle of all this nonsense, but... We could still do whatever we want. As long as no one finds out. We could even-"

"Stop." Suddenly, the girl's confidence had come back full force.

"Oh?" He simply waited with his head cocked to one side, to see what she would do. His curiosity had been piqued.

The cat demon was taking partial control and it showed in her eyes. They became a lot more cat-like than normal. Even without his Sharingan, Itachi was able to read her like a book. It seemed lust affected her in much the same way that anger did. Crawling toward him on her hands and knees, Sakura finally cornered her victim against the wall of the cave.

She pushed him backwards, climbing on top of him and trailing her hands up and down his sculpted body. "Just let me take care of you."

Itachi was at a loss for words. There was no arguing with that. He simply removed his cloak and used it as padding to lean against. It wasn't much, but it was still better than the bare rocks that lay behind him.

Her hands went to work on him, caressing his length with practiced ease. Sakura slipped her hands into his pants, feeling his hard cock pulsing beneath her touch. Soon they were pulled down, to give her better access. She felt her brother's hand in her hair, gently guiding her and encouraging her onward. The moment the tip of her tongue touched the edge, Itachi threw back his head and moaned.

"Try to be quiet..." She insisted.

He nodded, doing his best to relax. The Uchiha was not used to such gentle treatment. In the ninja world, it was generally understood that most of the sex was rough and thoughtless; meaningless... No one had time for such things anymore. They lived fast, loved pure, and died young. It had always been a pity, in his eyes.

The cat girl licked and sucked on him, taking his length into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around the tip, causing him to moan loudly again. She was so graceful and dainty... He loved the way her mouth felt against his skin. Her warmth surrounded him, and he felt himself involuntarily jerk his hips forward.

She took her time, patiently waiting for him to calm down. Eventually, she built up a steady rhythm. Sakura gagged a little when his cock hit the back of her throat, but she learned not to go down so far.

"Ah! Sakura... Nnnnh... I'm so close..." He said, as he made little thrusting motions into her mouth.

"Mmmph." She hummed around his prick, still going at it.

Sakura knew she was getting him really worked up now... She was also enjoying what she was doing. More than anything, she wanted to make her big brother happy. That meant the world to her. He'd been through so much pain. All she wanted was to show him a little pleasure.

Itachi's breathing had increased rapidly. He just couldn't seem to hold still... He placed one hand behind her head again, encouraging her to take all of him in her talented mouth.

In a morbid twist of fate, Itachi's moment of final glory was cut off at the last second. A familiar voice echoed from just beside them, in the quiet darkness.

"Who's in here and-" Kakashi stopped, his one visible eye wide in shock. "Sakura?!"

_'Damn.' _They hadn't noticed he was there at all. Itachi had been too distracted with Sakura's ministrations to notice anyone discovering their hiding spot. He mentally kicked himself for letting his guard down like that. He knew better.

"Sensei!" She gasped. "I... I can explain... We-"

"I'll be leaving now." Itachi got up, pulling up his pants and putting on his cloak in the blink of an eye. There was no time to say goodbye. He couldn't risk being captured by the Leaf Village.

"Wait just a minute..." Kakashi's hand was already placed lightly on his shoulder.

A seemingly innocent action, and yet, Itachi knew the man could tear him apart with a single flick of his wrist. That's how good the copy ninja was.

"There is nothing to worry about. I haven't harmed her."

"You act as if that's what I'm concerned with." The copy nin narrowed his eyes, dangerously. He was clearly not taking any more shit today.

"Please don't say anything!" Sakura shrieked, tears already in her eyes. "Don't tell Sarutobi or anyone! Please keep this a secret, Kakashi... I'll do anything, but please don't. This was just a... a misunderstanding. Nothing more."

A kunai was being pressed against Itachi's throat. He didn't care about the Uchiha's unconcerned nature, or the state of mind the girl was in. Right now Kakashi wanted answers. And he was going to get them.

"What were the two of you doing here? Spill it." His breathing intensified from beneath the thick mask he was wearing. Itachi was sure it was uncomfortable in the warm, damp cave.

"I'm pretty sure you already saw everything," Sakura sighed. She was beyond done with all of this sneaking around. "I was giving him a blowjob when you interrupted us."

"What I want to know is... Why? Have you betrayed the Leaf?"

"No! I'd never do that! You know that better than almost anyone, sensei!"

"Allow me to explain," Itachi activated his Sharingan, just in case. He noticed the older man wince as he did so. He knew he couldn't beat Itachi's Mangekyou, not even with Obito's implanted eye. The Uchiha smirked, daringly. "This has been going on for a long time. Sakura and I are very... _close._ Things just... happened. However, I can assure you there is nothing to worry about. Sakura is precious to me and I could not bear being unable to see her again. I love her."

"Sakura is married. And I'm pretty sure you have her under a Genjutsu right now." Kakashi accused, moving down his mask to reveal both eyes. He also had his Sharingan activated.

Sakura activated hers as well. She would not go down without a fight. Worst case scenario, they might have to kill Kakashi. Maybe she and Itachi could escape together... But she really didn't want to have to do that. She'd risk losing her status in Konoha, as well as her beloved husband Kabuto...

_No._ There was simply too much at stake to kill him so hastily. They would have to reason with him. Luckily, he seemed like a reasonable level-headed guy.

"It's not a Genjutsu. I love both of them." Sakura muttered quietly. "Kakashi, this isn't what you think. I promise Itachi won't bother anybody. He'll be leaving soon. Or I... I'll get clearance with the Hokage or something. I don't know."

"Believe what you want," Itachi sneered. "But I've already left the Akatsuki and given them my resignation."

Kakashi's eyes widened in a rare expression of surprise. It was not an easy feat to surprise the fabled copy ninja. "Sakura's been unwilling to participate in her training lately. All she's done is run away. It's disappointing."

The last thing she wanted was to disappoint her sensei... But the _very_ last thing she wanted was to lose her brother.

"Could we have just a few minutes alone?" Sakura asked, boldly.

She didn't think Kakashi was going to turn them in at this point. She felt like he was coming around to their side and at least making an effort to understand their situation. And if he really wanted to attack them, he already would have by now. There was nothing standing in his way. They weren't even putting up much of a fight.

"I suppose I can allow it..." He put his kunai away and replaced his headband over his left eye. "But only this once. Next time training will be serious and I won't allow you to run away. Is that understood?"

"Yes sensei..." She bowed to him a little, still embarrassed about what she'd been caught doing.

"Alright. I won't tell anyone what happened here today. Next time I will not overlook it. I'm going to go train Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura Haruno for a bit." He leaned in to murmur to Sakura, his voice barely above a whisper. "Be careful... If anything strange happens, you let me know and I'll handle it. Call for me and I will be here in a flash."

"Yes. Thank you sensei." She replied in a business-like tone. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6:<p>

Sakura was immensely relieved when the copy nin left. Itachi went right to her, and held her close. He knew she was a nervous wreck. Now their secret was out. And such a dangerous thing getting out, to even one person, could ruin both of their lives. They were just lucky it was level-headed understanding Kakashi and not someone more hot-tempered, like Naruto or even worse, Sasuke.

"Everything will be okay sweetheart..." Itachi's attempt to comfort her put an instant smile on her face. It was very slight, but it was there.

"You're right. All I can do right now is enjoy our time together."

"That's true. I'm glad he left us alone... Do you think he can be trusted to keep his word?"

"Kakashi? Definitely." The cat girl nodded firmly. "If there's one thing he is, it's honest. The only way he'd tell anyone is probably if they directly asked him. Which they won't, if they have no reason to suspect anything. So it should be fine."

"What has you so upset?" He tilted her head so that he could stare into her beautiful feline eyes. "You forget... I can see right through any ruse you might put up."

Sakura smiled at her older brother. She loved the way he spoke, so sincere and unapologetic. "I just... There's something I want to know."

"What is it?"

"Why did you lie to me? Or did you lie to Kakashi just now? About leaving the Akatsuki, I mean... You told me you were on a mission for them. So which is it?"

"I didn't feel like you were ready to know yet."

"So it's true...? You did leave?"

The Uchiha male took a deep breath. "Yes. My mission is over. I have nothing left to do there. So... I resigned."

Relief flooded through her like water breaking through a dam. Sakura flung herself into him, wrapping her arms over his shoulders and pulling him close. Her lips swept across his for a moment before withdrawing.

"I'm so glad!" She collapsed into his chest, emotionally exhausted. The tears just came on their own. There was no way to stop it now. "I... I just... I wish things didn't have to be so hard for us."

"What do you mean? He gave us our alone time. It'll be okay."

"If only Sasuke knew the whole truth..." The cat girl sobbed into his chest. "I mean, you told him about how our clan planned on killing off everyone, but not how our parents sealed the two tails inside me to use me as their weapon... I can still feel the pain in my stomach... When they sealed her in me... It was painful at first. However, she and I actually bonded over time. She isn't such a bad cat."

"I understand more than you know." Leaning into her, Itachi allowed himself this one moment of weakness, to run his fingers through her hair. He didn't want her to see that he was crying with her. All he could do to quell her falling tears was hug her as tightly as possible.

Several minutes passed, he wasn't sure how long... He held her in an embrace that he never wanted to release.

"I just... I just want things to really be alright again. And I know it will never be that way, as long as we are forced to be separated like this."

"Yes. I know."

"Brother..." She sniffled. "I know this is asking a lot, but... Please come live with Kabuto and I? I just want us to be a family again."

"I... I don't know." For the first time in a very long time, Itachi Uchiha was actually afraid of something. He couldn't stand this. "I can't stand to be away from you... But that's really a big risk."

"I'm sure Kabuto wouldn't mind at all. We are siblings, after all."

"I'm still not certain..." He remained unconvinced.

His response was met with silence. Her heart stopped in her chest, sitting there like a cold hard stone. She awaited his response. She'd already explained herself and pleaded her case. She had nothing left to add.

"Alright... I'll give it a shot." He sighed.

"Yay! I'm so happy!" She hugged him even tighter then. "We need to get to Sasuke and tell him everything and try to get him to come with us. I know we would have to convince the Hokage and hopefully he will agree to it. He is like a father to me, and I feel like I know what to say to convince him to let you come back. The fact that you chose to leave the Akatsuki will go over especially well."

"I suppose you're right." He smiled. 

* * *

><p>Kabuto enjoyed having a shorter walk home from work. It had rained recently, and little mud puddles lined the streets of what used to be the Uchiha district. Their ancestors would probably be angry they were letting a non-Uchiha live here... But what could he say? He was enjoying living in the mansion. Especially with Sakura...<p>

Thought of his wife had been present in his mind all day long. As he worked on surgery and taking care of sick patients, tending to Konoha's wounded the best way he could, he

Today had been a long day. He was looking forward to spending another quiet evening with his wife.

"I'm home!" He called to her, removing his shoes at the door.

"Oh..." She sounded nervous. She was always kind of shy around him. "Hey honey, welcome home."

"Thank you. I hope your training went well today?" He put an arm around her, and pulled her into a sweet embrace. He kissed the top of her forehead, as she kissed his cheek.

It was odd to be coming home to this great big mansion, instead of the modest home they had shared together before, but they both seemed to be adjusting to it fairly well. Sakura was waiting there to greet him, like always. Her little cat ears perked up the minute he came through the door.

"Yeah... Um... It was fine. So how was your day?"

"It was terrible," He sighed. "So many people are getting the flu lately, it's been going around. But it's much worse than the normal flu. It's like food poisoning being mixed in with it or something. We can't figure it out. Be careful not to get too close to anyone in the village for right now."

Sakura nodded, somewhat numbly, as she walked just a few steps in front of him. "I'm sorry."

He followed her into the kitchen, where they usually had their dinner together.

She wore a mischievous smile, like she was hiding something. She looked like an anxious kid who'd just stolen a cookie from the cookie jar, but knew they would be punished for it later.

"I know that look," He smirked at her, adjusting his glasses casually. "What are you hiding?"

Kabuto could only assume that his little wifey was up to some mischief. He noticed her amber eyes traversing the length of his body... He wondered if her thoughts were taking a turn for the dirtier?

"Me? Oh nothing... Haha..." She made a desperate attempt to laugh it off.

Sakura wasn't sure how to break this to him. She just didn't know how to bring up the subject. She'd briefly considered luring him to bed to tell him, but that probably wouldn't work. And it would make Itachi feel awkward too. Her confidence had grown, but it was still nowhere near that level yet.

"Are you suuuure?" He teasingly ran his fingers through her hair, standing behind her while she was getting their food ready. "Maybe we should... _'play doctor'_?"

He whispered the last two words hotly in her ear, before spinning her around and pinning her hips against the counter with his own. His lips danced across hers, making her head spin even more. Sakura just couldn't resist him... The rims of his glasses pressed lightly against the skin of her cheeks. She could feel herself blushing, and knew he would be able to see it when he broke the kiss.

They parted, and he noticed the look of concern on her face. He knew she might have inhibitions about being with him in a different place. But some kitchen sex sounded fun right now.

"Um..." The cat girl cleared her throat, trying her best to temporarily stop his advances without being rude. She felt horribly uncomfortable right now. It's not that it was unwelcome, very much the opposite... "I don't want you to be upset, and I don't know how to say this, but..."

Kabuto felt a strange chakra signature emanating from behind him. He turned around to see none other than Itachi Uchiha standing in the middle of their kitchen. He'd been waiting in the living room.

With lightning reflexes, Kabuto had darted across the room. Using the scalpel he kept in his pocket at all times, he went for Itachi's throat. He'd been aiming for a vital spot, but the Uchiha stepped out of the way just in time. The blade barely grazed his arm, but it was still enough to do some damage. The gash it left was wide and deep. All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and before Sakura even had a chance to speak.

"_No!_" Sakura gasped, rushing to her brother's side instantly. "Kabuto, _wait!_ Let me explain!"

The other Shinobi didn't do anything in return. He stood there, idly waiting for the man to take out his aggression. He knew he was a wanted man. There wasn't much he could do about it except face the music. He'd expected this kind of reaction... But fighting back would only make them more fearful of him. And they'd have to explain that to the Hokage as well.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" He asked.

"Um... We have company." She finished hastily, gasping at the blood that dripped down to the floor.

Oh.

_Oh._

_'Oh.'_

"Oh."

That was all the medic nin said. Just 'oh'...

"Hello there." Itachi smiled politely at the man who had once been helping his enemy and former partner, even as he had to hold the wound on his bicep closed to keep more blood from spilling.

The words spilled out of her mouth faster than she could control them. "Kabuto I'm really sorry but Itachi has come to stay with us. It's just until tomorrow, until the Hokage decides what to do with him. But I'm planning to-"

"What are you talking about? He's an Akatsuki member. We can't just let a member of the Akatsuki stay with us! It's too dangerous. And people will talk and-"

"And _what_?" Itachi glared at him, clearly not happy about what had just happened. Nor the fact that the man was trying to throw him out.

"I..." Kabuto was at a loss. "I wish to discuss this with my wife in private, please."

Sakura grabbed a scarp of cloth and gave it to Itachi. "This should help stop the bleeding, for now." She turned to face her husband. "I'll be with you in a moment. Just let me heal this wound really quick, before my brother bleeds to death. Okay?"

"Alright." He nodded his understanding.

Kabuto had already begun to head toward the other room. Sakura stayed behind with Itachi, already taking out the medical kit they kept under the sink, for just such an emergency.

"This is going to sting a little," Sakura began to wipe the area with an antiseptic painkiller.

She proceeded to sew the wound closed, using a needle and thread. Her own chakra flowed along the thread, causing it to glow faintly...

He felt her small, gentle hands slowly sewing the cut closed. It meant a lot to Itachi that she cared for him. She was very careful, and used her chakra to heal him. Kabuto could have done a better job, but there was no way he'd help someone he still saw as an enemy Shinobi. It just wasn't going to happen. Itachi could sense the guy already wanted him out of his house. Or out of the village. Or dead. Didn't seem to matter.

He knew what Kabuto was planning to do with her when he'd come home from work. That bastard didn't deserve her... But no one would ever be good enough, in Itachi's eyes... Not even himself. It just... It just ate him up with jealousy inside. He wasn't allowed to make his feelings for her known, but this guy could do it all he wanted. Part of Itachi loathed him for that.

"I'd better go..." He muttered, when she was done and packing away the supplies. "I believe I've overstayed my welcome, Sakura."

"No. Don't go." She closed the box and put it away. "I'll talk to him. Just wait right here, okay? If you have to leave, then at least wait until I can say goodbye..."

He seemed skeptical, but he nodded his agreement. "Hn."

Sakura hastily went into the other room, where Kabuto was waiting for her. They walked down a long hall, and into the study, where they wouldn't be interrupted or overheard. Not a word was said until the door was closed, effectively sealing off all hope of Itachi knowing what was going on.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about this before. I just... He's my brother, and-"

"Shinobi are never supposed to let our feelings get in the way." Kabuto knew he was being a bit cold, but he couldn't help it. As of yet, he was unmoved by her plight. "Sakura, you are a Leaf Village Kunoichi. You know better than to even try this."

"I..." She bowed her head, lost deep in thought. "I know that. And I'm willing to take that risk for someone that I care about. Just... Just hear me out, okay?"

It was clear that it was taking all of her nerve to do something like this. She wouldn't put her life on the line to save just anyone. He was her brother, yes... But he was also a dangerous criminal. She'd sworn

"Okay. Since it means that much to you. I will listen to what you have to say. And then he has to go."

"Alright..." A knot formed in her chest. Everything was riding on what she chose to say next. "I don't want to fight with you over this. I simply want to reason with you. We are on Uchiha land, it belongs to my entire clan, not just to me. This was our home. And his too... You already know the truth behind the Uchiha massacre. He was made to do it. He was only following orders given to him by our very own village. And not only that, he's left the Akatsuki now. His mission is over. You were in his shoes yourself once... Labeled an outcast and not allowed to come back here, ever. I helped you. And now you're saying I can't help someone else? I love you, my dear husband, but even I think that's a bit hypocritical."

"You do raise several valid points. However," He argued. "How do we know it's not a trap? We have no proof that he'd left the Akatsuki. And the Hokage hasn't pardoned him or anything, as he so graciously did with did with me."

"He has agreed to meet with my father tomorrow. It's just getting late already. If you'll allow him to stay, I promise I will escort him to the Hokage's office, first thing in the morning."

"And what do you think it will solve, Sakura?" He stared at her, unrelenting.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that I have to try to help him. For my clan..."

Kabuto didn't like where this was going. But she had made a very good argument and she was technically right. He'd been considered an 'enemy' not too long ago, himself. He was lucky the Hokage was allowing him this chance to redeem himself. He worried that she might be asking too much of their village leader...

"I suppose I can't stop you from trying," He sighed. "If the Hokage clears his name, as he did with mine, then I will be okay with it. After all, it is Uchiha property and he is your brother, and we do have a big enough house. But we're going to have to keep a very close eye on him until then."

"I understand and I agree..." She rushed over to her husband, hugging him close. "Thank you for at least trying to understand my point of view here. Itachi's got nothing but crap ever since he did what he was ordered to do."

"I will stand by whatever the Hokage decides. He should know what's best for the village." He smiled down at her.

Sakura kissed his cheek sweetly, before rushing off to tell Itachi the good news...


	7. Chapter 7

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7:<p>

Itachi knew he'd have to tone down his jealousy around Kabuto, big time... It would not be easy.

He was being given a lot of time alone to think. Sakura was precious to him. She held a valuable piece of his heart that he could never get back, even if he wanted. Having to act like there was nothing between them was harder than he could have ever imagined. Even if it was only for one night...

He'd have to act like there was nothing between them. He knew it would be hard for him to maintain control.

_'Even at this very moment, I want nothing more than to kill Kabuto...' _He didn't like being alone with his thoughts. It made it all too easy to recognize his own bloodlust. _'So he'll never be able touch what is mine again! But... I can't... I couldn't. I have to be nice... for _her_ sake.' _He shook his head, wondering how he got himself into this mess.

He'd had to watch the woman he loved with all his heart, as she went about her evening routine... He'd been pleasantly surprised when she told him her husband was alright with him staying for one night. Just until he had an audience with the Hokage. Well, that was still better than nothing. From the way he understood it, as long as the leader of the village gave his approval, Kabuto would be alright with it.

The three of them had somewhat enjoyed dinner together, which he'd helped Sakura make. Kabuto got a shower and changed out of his work clothes and joined them afterward. It wasn't a sign that he trusted Itachi by any means, but the fact that he'd left them alone together did indicate that he trusted his wife's judgment above all else. That was something to respect about the man, at least.

He tried to look at it that way. _He tried_, but...

All he wanted was her. He wanted to be alone with her all the time, for no one else to be able to interfere or take that away from them. He didn't want to be made to leave if the Hokage wouldn't pardon him. If they all said no and shunned him, which he was used to, he wasn't certain what he would do then.

If this all went wrong, it wouldn't be the end of it. Not by a long shot. Whatever the Hokage said, whatever Kabuto said, whatever the whole damn village said... He couldn't let go. And Itachi resolved that if he weren't allowed to stay, he could still continue to meet with her in private, for as long as she allowed it. Nothing could keep them apart.

After dinner, Itachi had volunteered to the do the dishes. He had to find some way to feel like less of a burden on them. Kabuto seemed to be avoiding him for the rest of the evening. At least he had apologized for his rash actions earlier, at dinner. Itachi figured there was no major harm done, and his sister had done a top notch job of healing the wound. He refused to fight back, especially if it might endanger her, or his chances to be with her.

Sakura came into the kitchen, once Kabuto had made his way up the tall staircase that led to their new bedroom. Itachi was just finishing up the dishes.

"Are you almost done?"

It was all he could do not to allow his jaw to drop, upon seeing her. She was wearing a purple and black lace nightie. It barely covered her thighs and was very sheer. Even without activating his Sharingan, he could see right through it. It made him want to do some very lascivious things to her. What a pity that they couldn't get away with it without her husband finding out.

"Mhm." He nodded, putting the last stack of plates away.

"Thanks for your help with the dishes," Sakura smiled cheerfully, feigning that nothing was wrong.

"No problem. Thank you both for your hospitality, as well. Where's your husband?" She could have sworn she detected a hint of bitterness in his tone. He tried to cover it up, but it was still painfully obvious.

"Kabuto is... He already went to bed. We don't have all of the rooms fixed up yet, but... I'll show you where your room is."

Itachi nodded and followed her up the stairs and down a series of corridors. The narrow and similar hallways of the Uchiha mansion were made to be deliberately confusing to those who didn't know their way around. This was to prevent enemies from stealing the secrets of the nobles. Everything was decorated in a tasteful manner, with lots of deep red, contrasting marble blue, and black trim.

"This is it," She opened the door and flipped on the newly-installed light switch. "I hope it's okay..."

The room was large and beautiful. It wasn't far from their own room. The large canopy bed had lots of decorations and frills hung all over it. Itachi saw himself as a simple person. He wouldn't have minded sleeping on a military cot, so long as it was under the same roof as the one he loved.

"This is great. I am in your debt." He bowed to her.

"Nonsense... I'll be right back."

She rushed out of the room, returning after a few minutes. He stood in the middle of the room, taking in his new surroundings. He hadn't seen this place in many years, and had never had the honor of staying in any of the guest rooms.

"Here," She laid a stack of clothes on a small table by the door. "I've brought some towels and a change of clothes for you. You should probably shower before your meeting with the Hokage tomorrow."

"Yes, I'll do that."

She pointed to a door that he hadn't really noticed. "Through that door you'll find a private bathroom adjoined to this room. I hope you sleep well..."

"Thank you. As do I..."

He approached her, looking deep into her eyes. He could see all of her sadness, her joy, her pain... He inhaled her scent, it was like a drug to him. His lips swept over hers, pressing into her with an almost bruising force. He let his tongue dance along her lips, until she parted them for him. His tongue entered, entwining and dancing with hers. He could barely hold himself back. She was so sexy in that outfit... And it pained him that she wasn't his to take. He would have had her right then, pinning her against the wall and marking her as his.

And then the inevitable happened. Sakura forced herself to pull away. She had to have some restraint. She couldn't risk her husband walking in when they were like this. She had to maintain her composure, for both of their sake.

"Goodnight..." She whispered to him, hesitantly leaving and closing the door behind her.

"Goodnight, my love." He purred.

She couldn't stand to be around him right now. It was hard enough that she struggled so much with her emotions. She had to make a difficult choice that was literally impossible for her to make. Her heart and mind were at a constant war. Right now, all she could was take everything in stride and hope for the best.

Itachi waited several minutes to make sure she was gone. He heard her soft little footsteps padding down the carpeted hall. She went into another room, probably just two rooms over, and he heard the door click shut.

His first instinct was to rush in and kill Kabuto, but that wouldn't solve anything. It would only cause his beloved little sister even more pain. That was a burden he truly could not bear. Although it was within his power to do so, he could not.

He then proceeded to take a long, very cold, shower... Maybe that could help him calm down. He had a raging hard on that would not stop. The droplets fell, one by one, flowing over his entire body and cooling him off.

He would try to make the most of this... He had to.

After changing clothes and climbing into bed, the Uchiha laid awake, unable to sleep. He could hear them having sex in their room. He was sure of it. Sakura's voice giggled delightedly, as Kabuto sweet talked her into complying... Itachi had never had to be so gentle with her. When they were together, it was fiery and pure passion. Something her husband seemed to lack. He was beginning to understand her need for him a little better, if nothing else.

* * *

><p>The next morning, he was awoken to the sight of his sister's beautiful, cheerful face. She greeted him with a warm smile. She was already in his room, looming over his bed, when his eyes opened. It was a welcome sight. He could get used to waking up this way...<p>

"Rise and shine!" She chirped, smiling cheerily. "Time to get ready for our visit with the Hokage."

"You don't have to pretend for my sake... I know how you feel right now. I feel the same."

They'd always had this beautiful silent understanding between them. A moment passed, and they both seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking. This was a dire situation... Everything had come down to this. Either Itachi would be forgiven today, or he wouldn't. The gravity of such a grim situation was wearing heavily on both Uchiha siblings.

"I know," Sakura sighed, her majestic ears drooping a little. "But we can't afford to have a negative outlook today. I really think he'll let you stay. We just have to give it our all and persuade him. You've only followed his orders, up until the point when you left the village."

"Yes, but you don't know of all the things I've done since then. This is no light matter."

"We have to think positive." She insisted on smiling, even though she felt like crying. She refused to allow any negativity to get to her. He had to say yes. There simply was no other feasible outcome.

The corners of his mouth turned slightly upward. Itachi smirked. It was sweet of her to be so considerate of his feelings that she blatantly repressed her own. What an amazing girl.

"Kabuto certainly is lucky..."

Sakura blushed, tinges of red staining her cheeks. "Get dressed. We should get going."

* * *

><p>"ANBU squad!" The Hokage called his most adept available Shinobi to assist him. "This man is Itachi Uchiha. Apprehend him at once!"<p>

Their initial meeting with the Hokage didn't go as planned... Sakura began to panic, as the deadly assassins seized her brother. Two of them flew to either side of him in a flash. And three more appeared behind them. They weren't harming him, but only because he was not putting up any kind of a fight. At the first sign of hesitation, they would have grounds to kill him if necessary.

He was an S-class missing nin. He was a known traitor, who was also very powerful. He was not to be taken lightly, especially here in Konoha, and in the Hokage's office, no less. There must be some reason he was here.

"What brings you to Konoha?" Sarutobi narrowed his eyes at their newest captive.

Itachi bowed his head, allowing the ANBU members on either side of him to hold him up. He was literally on his knees before this man. The man who held his fate in the palm of his hands...

"I understand your concern. Please believe me when I say that I mean you no harm. Nor do I intend to harm anyone in this village. I come on a mission of peace."

"Father, I can explain!" Sakura interjected.

"Now is not the time, Sakura." He shook his head, the white cloth hanging from either side of his Hokage hat fluttering as he did so. "We have an Akatsuki member in our midst. And I'm uncertain of his intentions."

He continued glaring at Itachi, his eyes locked onto their target. There was nothing in the old man's eyes but sorrow, hatred, and contempt.

"I did not come here to be judged without reason, to be gazed upon with eyes full of prejudice..." He spoke from the depths of what was left of his tiny black heart.

"Oh, I can assure you we have a long list of reasons. You were told never to return here. Not for any reason... I'm afraid that your crimes are far too great to be overlooked. You've made a grave mistake in coming here today. I have no other choice. A harsh prison sentence awaits you."

"Please just hear me out!" Sakura's shrill cry could be heard, above all the other voices that had begun to stir up. Even the ANBU members assigned to hold him seemed very wary and had begun to talk amongst themselves. They knew they could be caught in his Genjutsu at any moment. And there was so much drama in the room.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but not this time. I cannot afford to take any chances. Not when the safety of the village is already in jeopardy. I already stuck my own neck out, and put Konoha at a lot of risk when I allowed Kabuto in. I cannot allow any more. Our village is not a safe haven for criminals."

She threw herself across his desk, literally flailing about. She threw herself upon his mercy. It was so frustrating when he wouldn't even listen to what he had to say...

"No...!" She cried, giving it all her might just to stay remotely calm. "Listen..."

"I can give you inside information," Itachi stated dully. "I know all sorts of things about the inner workings of the Akatsuki. I know about their goals and future plans. I have resigned as a member. They are aware of this. My mission there is over. My time is served."

"Your time has not yet begun to be served!" The mighty Hokage bellowed. "Silence! I will decide your fate. I suppose I have no choice but to hear my daughter out. But then... You will be done away with."

Sakura hated that he seemed to have already made up his mind about this. She wasn't certain she could still convince him to allow her brother to stay here. But everything he had been through was highly unfair.

"Father... You are forgetting all about the truth behind the massacre," She stepped away from the desk to make her point. "You and I both know the true reasons Itachi did what he did! To not forgive him would be... It would be unforgivable! I'm not staying in Konoha if my family is not welcome here! And you would be a fool to condemn a man for following orders! If you don't pardon him, I... I'll... I'll tell them all myself!"

He was stunned. The old man's jaw dropped, his goatee nearly touching his chest. "You wouldn't dare..."

"I would dare! I would dare anything to save my brother..." Tears flowed down her cheeks, staining the pristine carpet of the Hokage's office. She couldn't hold them back anymore. She was having to choose between the man she saw as her father, and her own blood brother. "I'll sing like a canary! The entire town will know what you sentenced the Uchiha, part of their people, to. You condemned them all to death. Is that something you _really_ want to be publicly on your hands? The blood of an entire clan..."

"ANBU unit..." He addressed his masked soldiers. "Have Ibiki do a memory sweep on all ANBU Shinobi present here today. This is a secret that cannot get out. For now, you may leave us to discuss things. Let the captive go. And send for another squad to stand by in case they are called for."

"But sir..." One of the man spoke out of turn. "With all due respect, he's dangerous, he could-"

"_Please_ go now!" He pointed to the door. "Leave Itachi to me. He wouldn't dare to attack the only man who is capable of issuing a pardon, when he is surrounded by an entire village full of his own people."

They walked out of his office, like dogs with their tails between their legs. They released the Uchiha, and he stood on his own. He simply looked at the Hokage, waiting to hear his answer.

"So I see you want to play hard ball, Sakura. Very well. I will need some time to think this over-"

"That's the thing. Kabuto is against it too, and only allowed him to stay with us for a single night. He said he would leave the decision up to you, but Itachi can't come back with me until we get your approval. That's what we all agreed upon."

"Why go out of your way for him? Are you under a Genjutsu?"

"No, father." She stared at the floor, as fresh tears continued to fall. Sakura didn't know what she could do or say to change his mind. "I'm telling you the truth! Itachi doesn't want to fight anymore. Not for their side, at least. He never really wanted to."

"If there's anything you can do," Itachi tried his best to put their differences aside. "If you could find it in your good graces to pardon me for my crimes, I would be willing to do anything in my power in order to redeem myself. I never wanted to abandon Konoha. I never chose to leave. All of that was part of my mission."

"You were not ordered to join the Akatsuki..." The Hokage stated, bitterly.

"I wasn't ordered not to, either."

Itachi smiled. He had won. He'd won this entire debate, and he damn well knew it. And in so few words... It was almost poetic.

The Hokage sighed, hesitating for a long moment. He knew his daughter was right about everything. He also knew a threat when he heard it... Konoha did not give in to idle threats, and neither could he. He couldn't afford to publicly pardon yet another criminal, so close together, and place him under the care of his daughter. Not so soon after he'd just done that with someone else.

And then an idea occurred to him. A crazy one, but it just might work... They would have to reach something of a compromise.

"Very well," He spoke with grim dignity. "You may stay. However, your presence in Konoha does not leave this room. In a few weeks, I will send for you, and you'll come in for questioning. I'll arrange for it to take place over the period of several days. You will not leave until we know everything you know."

"Thank you so much, Father!" Sakura couldn't help it. She always got so emotional at times like this. She flung herself over the desk once more, hugging the Hokage as hard as she could without injuring him.

"Sakura..." He pried her off for one moment. "Please be careful. I'd never forgive myself if harm were to come to you..."

"Of course. You are wise for being able to see reason. I can't even thank you enough.

"I'm not finished yet," Sarutobi held up a hand to silence the cat girl. He continued speaking to Itachi. "While in Konoha, you will always maintain a shadow transformation Genjutsu, so people will not be able to recognize you. Pick any form you like, but it cannot be your own. I can't have people accusing me of things or panicking over our arrangement. When behind closed doors, you may do as you wish. However... It is imperative that you avoid civilian detection at all times. If anyone catches on, it will be on your hands, and you will then have to leave. You may entrust whomever you see fit with the knowledge of your identity, but... If it incites a panic, you will be targeted. I will have no choice. You may not leave the walls of our village without Sakura's presence at all times. Is this agreeable to you?"

"Yes. I agree to these terms." He stated simply. "Thank you, sir."

"Very well then. You are pardoned. I will revoke this pardon if you fail to show up for questioning over the next few weeks. Ibiki can deal with you then. Now, off with you. Leave my sight."

"I'm sorry father. And thank you again." Sakura bowed formally to him.

He waved her off, smiling at the lovely young woman his daughter had turned out to be. At least she would always stand up for what she felt was right. He felt proud to have been the one to teach her that. He hoped nothing went wrong with this plan of hers. He was also nervous over the mission he would soon have to send her on...

Itachi didn't say anything more. He'd waited to hear everything he needed to know, nodded his approval, and turned to leave. Sakura walked out of the Hokage's office with him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8:<p>

As they were walking back to Uchiha mansion, Sakura noticed the changes to his appearance that Itachi had made...

He'd shortened his hair a bit, made it a slightly lighter color, got rid of his scars, and lightly changed the shape of his face and nose so he would appear to be a different person entirely. When he was finished, he looked nothing like Itachi Uchiha... Just an ordinary citizen of the Leaf Village. As long as he didn't use his Sharingan, no one would ever know.

"I can say you're my cousin from another village or something. That should work." She hummed happily on their way back.

"Yeah. Works for me."

"What should we say your name is?"

"It doesn't matter," He replied in a hushed tone. "Just make something up?"

"We can say your name is Chang, if anyone asks. And you're my cousin, a distant relative but not an Uchiha by blood, just by marriage. And your parents died in the massacre."

"Sounds fine."

No one bothered them on their way home. Sakura was very pleased with herself. She hoped she hadn't been too harsh on her father. She knew some people in her shoes would have probably hated him for what he'd done to her clan... But she was well aware that the Hokage had only been following orders too, orders that had come from the village elders. She was proud that she'd been able to convince her father to allow Itachi to remain in the village.

It wasn't going to be easy looking like a different person, but he felt it was better to stay in hiding for now anyway. Even if it went against the Hokage's wishes, he was fairly certain there were some inhabitants of the Leaf that would actively try to kill him. It wouldn't matter to him, except Sakura might get hurt in the process. And he couldn't stand that. So he'd resolved to cooperate.

They made it back to the mansion without any difficulty. As far as anyone else was concerned, he was a random civilian. It wasn't odd to see Sakura teaching new students or something similar. Behind the safety of closed doors, they could both breathe easy once more. His transformation faded, and he looked like himself again.

"I'm so relieved..." She sighed, as she watched Itachi's transformation Jutsu fade away. "I was really worried he wouldn't come around at all."

"I wasn't. I would've had to attack him, but with the Mangekyou, it wouldn't have been much of a problem."

"I don't know. He _is_ the Hokage. But anyway... I can't wait to tell Kabuto the good news! I think he was mainly just worried about getting in trouble after he promised he'd stay out of it. He once faced the same predicament that you did."

"I understand. But I prefer not to think about him very much." Itachi sat on the sofa, wanting to be left alone but not wanting to leave Sakura all by herself either. "So what are we going to do all day?"

His question was met with a lap full of kitty girl. "Victory sex!" She squeaked.

For the first time ever, the Uchiha man actually blushed. He ducked down, just wanting to hide behind the long bangs that framed his face. She was actually half-joking, but the effect it had on him was immediate. All kinds of dirty thoughts filled his head.

"Awww, big brother... No need to be so shy." She smirked, her eyes glowing with mischief.

"I... I'm not shy." He purred, stroking one hand down her cheek. He let the back of his fingers caress her silken skin, as his mind pondered over what he wanted to do with her. "Only thinking..."

"Thinking? About what?"

"...Of doing this."

He nipped at her neck, his teeth bared in a ferocious way. He'd wanted to take her ever since they'd gotten here. He'd been unable to get more than a few spare moments alone with her, due to Kabuto's presence. He put her husband out of his mind, as he continued to ravish his sister.

He wanted to desecrate her in the living room. Right in front of the framed paintings of the Uchiha nobles that hung on the wall... Where everyone could see. Where Kabuto could burst through the door at any given moment and find out about everything.

Itachi pinned her to the couch. He didn't even care. Nothing else mattered to him right now. He'd been driving crazy all night. He knew living with the two of them would be hell for him, due to his intense feelings for Sakura. But it could not be helped. Right now, they would just have to see what happened.

The cat girl licked her lips greedily, looking up at him expectantly. Her older brother certainly did not disappoint.

This was definitely not the first time they'd been together like this... Yet, each time was different and unique. It seemed they never lost the excitement. Where Kabuto was tender and loving, Itachi was wild, exciting, a little violet, but he loved her and would never actually hurt her. It was the best of both worlds.

"We should finish what we started back in the cave..." She whispered to him, in between passionate kisses.

Before he could speak, she had already pulled his pants down to his ankles. The cat girl took Itachi's cock into her mouth. Her tongue darted out, lightly licking around the tip and sliding up and down the shaft.

"Nngh..." He moaned, tossing his head back on the couch cushions. It was so much more comfortable than rocks and trees. "You're such a tease... Damn."

He looked down, watching her take him in and out of her talented mouth. He loved seeing her sucking him off like that. Her hair all astray, her cheeks bulging out, her hands working him over and cupping his swollen balls... The suction was what drove him really wild. It was evident that Sakura certainly knew how to treat a guy. And she'd known Itachi since she was born, so she easily knew what he liked.

He put a hand on her shoulders, gently pulling her off of his throbbing member.

"Why did you stop me? Is something wrong?"

Truthfully, she wouldn't have blamed him for having second thoughts about this. They were siblings and she was married, after all. Still, she was elated to see him shaking his head no.

"No. It's just..." He pulled her back onto the large sofa and proceeded to tear her clothes off. "I need you. Now. I ache for you, Sakura."

He stated it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Sakura was content to let him undress her. Her breasts were bared to him. The rest of her body was soon exposed to his hungry gaze as well. She just wished he wouldn't ruin her clothes like that. It would be hard to hide it from Kabuto.

Her clothes were in his way. Soon they were discarded on the floor. All of his clothes soon joined them.

As soon as she felt his mouth on her nipple, all sense of worry was lost. He was setting her body ablaze. The way she felt was unlike anything she could describe with mere words. Not even thoughts. No... All thought was lost from the moment he touched her.

_'Oh well. They 're only small tears, I'm sure I can fix them later.' _

Itachi loved the way her body responded to his touch. Having sex with his sister was already taboo enough for his taste, but to think that she was married too... It only made things that much better.

"I can't take it anymore..." He growled, rolling himself on top of her and slipping into her depths.

Sakura's eyes rolled into the back of her head. She moaned very loudly, her inner cat even coming out to yowl her pleasure at their union. She obviously approved of this.

And how could she not enjoy it? Every time he moved, it sent shivers of pure bliss through his sister's body. She felt every inch of Itachi's hardness moving in and out of her warm, wet center. He was arching his back, slamming into her as hard as he could. He was so physically harsh toward her. It was nice being with someone who didn't actually hurt her, but didn't make her feel like

"Ohhh Itachi..." Sakura purred. "Please... Yes, yes, more! Ugh... I can't take it!"

She bucked her hips upward to meet his thrusts. Itachi grabbed her legs and held them up a little higher, so he could have better access. He was impossibly deep now... Losing himself within her...

Her older brother was so sexy. Two ink black curtains fell to frame his face, as he took her. The cat girl looked up at him to see two glowing crimson eyes staring back at her. He'd activated the Sharingan? That was dangerous. Not for her, even though most people who saw such beautiful eyes met their end soon after. She knew he'd never harm her. Every second he used his kekkei genkai meant he was that much closer to going blind.

"But... Why?" She asked, letting her fingers trail across his cheeks, over his trademark scars, and up toward his eyes.

"I want to be able to memorize your face..." He panted, groaning as her inner walls clenched him tightly. "I want to savor this moment... Forever."

That was all it took for her to come undone. "Ohhh! Itachi! Mmmm!"

He screamed her name in return, as he lost control. With a low guttural growl, the eldest Uchiha came inside her. It was magnificent, being lost in pure bliss together like this.

A mixture of their creams ran down her thigh. She tried not to get it on the sofa. The tell-tale stains would be hard to explain to her husband later.

Itachi was putting his shirt back on. Sakura watched his muscles move under his skin... He was incredibly handsome. She felt like the luckiest woman alive. It made her smile. He noticed, and returned her smile with a small one of his own. It wasn't like her brother to show much emotion. He was very true to his training as a Shinobi. She appreciated the fact that he could break out of his shell for her.

He was still pulling up his pants, when something startled the elder Uchiha. He stopped for a moment. There were heavy footsteps, followed by an ominous clicking noise. They heard the key turning in the lock.

_Shit!_

It was almost too late... The two lovers panicked.

Sakura began to scramble for her clothes. They were strewn all about. She'd never make it in time! She grabbed what she could, and hightailed it to the bathroom down the hall. The door opened, and it was too late to do anything else.

"Hello, I'm home." Kabuto smiled when he saw his wife's brother sitting on the sofa in their living room. "Oh, where's Sakura?"

"Hi sweetie!" Before he could reply, the cat girl emerged from the bathroom, looking a bit disheveled, but otherwise normal. "I'm glad you're back. You're home early."

"Yeah I got let off early today. What are you two up to?"

His tone didn't seem suspicious. He most likely meant it as a casual question. Kabuto brushed past her, after taking off his doctor's jacket and shoes at the door. It was just like any other day. He hadn't paid much attention to the state of their sofa or the room in general. His shoulders slumped. He was probably tired from a long day...

"Just relaxing and reminiscing about old times..." Itachi answered. "Welcome home."

"Thanks man." Kabuto hurried to his room. "I'm going to change out of my work clothes. Be back in a second."

Sakura took her seat next to her brother. She'd really panicked. She was still feeling jittery about what just happened. She tried not to let her guilty conscience get the better of her though.

"Uh... Here." Itachi whispered, as he discreetly handed her back her panties.

Sakura had to stifle a giggle. This was almost fun... She felt guilty for what she was doing. But Itachi was too hot. He was addicting. And it was cute when he was like this... It was so devious.

"Thanks," Taking them, she stood up long enough to slip them on under her yukata. She spoke in a hushed tone. "I'm glad he didn't notice... My face would have turned bright red."

"No need to thank me." That signature smirk was back.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up. **

****Also, extra warning for female pregnancy stuff in this chapter and from here on out. And this chapter will be long.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9:<p>

Things on went like this for several more months...

Her mission to put an end to Orochimaru's wrongdoings kept being put off for various reasons. First it was because the Sannin warriors who could help her were not available because they were on another mission. Then it was due to her father's waning health. After that, it was because there weren't enough Konoha Shinobi available on standby, to act as backup. It was always something.

She'd been occupying herself with a couple of... distractions. Distractions who went by the names of Kabuto and Itachi, to be more specific.

Each night was spent in the arms of her loving husband. They made love frequently. As if that wasn't enough, she was still involved with Itachi too. During every day, she was hed in the passionate embrace of her secret lover.

She didn't even care that he was her brother. She loved him and they were really close. Sakura wasn't lying to herself. The truth was... She had strong romantic feelings for both men. She literally could not decide what to do. So she carried on with what she was doing. No one had caught on... _yet._

There was just one problem...

She was feeling increasingly fatigued lately. She'd even gotten dizzy numerous times during the past few weeks, and it was starting to become more frequent. She was sure it might just be due to the nature of what was going on. Stress could cause a lot of the symptoms she was experiencing, but it could also be some kind of illness. As Kabuto had already mentioned, there was something going around their village. Having to keep up with two men was a challenge in itself, let alone all the other stuff she had to do.

As the days wore on, Sakura grew sicker and seemed to get tired a lot more easily. Her stomach felt weird and she was a little nauseous.

"What's wrong love?" Kabuto noticed her pained expression, one day at dinner. The three of them were seated around a generous meal that his wife had prepared.

"This is overwhelming..." Sakura confided in both of them, leaning on the table and propping her head up with both hands. "I'm super tired. Unnaturally exhausted. I don't want to be ill, but I can't help it. I keep getting more tired every day. I've been feeling dizzy too, and I don't understand why..."

Itachi wanted to rush to her side to comfort her, but he knew her husband would beat him to it. Sure enough, Kabuto got up and immediately went to hold her. His arms fell around her, and they both watched the cat girl snuggled into his chest.

"I think you should see a doctor," He gently suggested, sweeping her messy hair out of her face. "And not me, I mean someone better. Someone who wouldn't let personal feelings get in the way. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

"I agree with him." Itachi added, trying to continue his detached-but-concerned-older-brother facade. He couldn't afford to show his real emotions too readily. It would be suspicious. "Try not to do so much around here. I'll help out more with the housework and chores."

"You don't have to, I..." She looked at their faces, both watching her with concern. Truthfully, Sakura didn't like being the center of attention... At least, not this much. "Alright. I understand. I guess it couldn't hurt to make an appointment with Tsunade or someone."

"Good girl." Kabuto smiled, clearing away the dishes after their meal. "I'll take care of the dishes and cleanup tonight. You go relax and rest for a bit."

"Maybe I'll just read alone in bed until I fall asleep, if neither of you mind?"

Both men shook their heads no. They waited for her to leave. Itachi helped clear the table and then silently retreated to his own room. He never talked to Kabuto much, but he wasn't unpleasant toward him either. They both knew the other's concern for her was genuine, and that was all that mattered. 

* * *

><p>A few more days passed until she was able to see Lady Tsunade. The Sannin had agreed to see her, as long as she paid her the standard medical fee required for a simple checkup. They met in a private room at Konoha's Hospital, away from prying eyes and ears.<p>

Sakura had been nervous going in, especially considering that her husband worked at that very hospital. But doctor-patient confidentiality was a big thing in their village. And she knew she could trust Tsunade with her privacy. She'd thought of just not going to the appointment at all, but she really needed to find out what was wrong with her. She didn't want to take any chances with her health.

"So what's the problem?" The blonde sat in a small chair, with one leg crossed over the other. She was holding a clipboard and scribbling things down.

"Well... I've been feeling really sick lately."

"Describe your symptoms."

Sakura had to hand it to her. She was being very business-like today. The cat girl fidgeted with her hands. She was seated on a big examination table. This felt just like an ordinary medical exam, except she knew the doctor personally.

"Severe fatigue, to the point where it's interfering with my chores and work a lot... Dizziness and general crankiness, I guess you could say my moods have been changing more rapidly than usual. And I feel sick to my stomach, although I haven't been vomiting or anything. I just don't feel very good at all."

"Is that all?"

"No," Sakura admitted. "I noticed I've been gaining a bit of weight too. But I think it could be due to my eating habits changing, after getting married and all. What do you think it could be?"

She tried to excuse all of the signs, but deep down she had a bad feeling about this.

Tsunade hesitated for a moment. "I think we should do some tests to try to find out what the exact problem is. And that's all you're going to get out of me. I don't like to worry my patients before giving them a diagnosis. I'd rather focus on the problem at hand, and figure out what's actually wrong, instead of speculating about it. I'd rather not worry you over nothing."

Sakura nodded. "I'll consent to whatever tests you need to do."

Several hours later, the cat girl wholeheartedly regretted ever saying that... She'd been poked with various instruments, prodded with needles of all kinds, they did every test Tsunade could think of that would fit with her set of problems. When all the tests were done, she left Sakura alone, saying she had to check the results of all the tests.

Finally, the woman re-entered the room. "I have some... news."

"Oh. Is it good or bad news?"

"Um..." Tsunade was at a loss for words. She was staring at the ground, refusing to make eye contact until she felt she absolutely had to. "That depends on you. I'm not sure how you'll take this."

"Then just tell me already! I can't take the suspense!" Sakura wailed, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. "I want to know what's causing all of this! Am I going to die?"

She felt a comforting hand touch her shoulder. Sakura found herself staring at the medic's pink nail polish, as she tried to focus on her words and not her worries.

"Sakura..." The blonde medic took a deep breath, as if having to calm her own nerves before speaking. "I don't know how to say this, but... _You're pregnant._"

"WHAT?!" The cat girl freaked out. "Th-there's no way! I can't be!"

"I'm sorry for the invasive question, but... Are you sexually active?"

She blushed a bit. "Yes?" She didn't want to reveal that she had more than one lover. That was definitely crossing the line. Somehow, she didn't think that would go over too well.

"Are you using protection?"

"Protection?" Sakura replied, sheepishly. "Uh... I guess we've kind of been overlooking that."

Tsunade smacked her own face with her palm. "Oi! No wonder... And what did you think would happen if you slept with your husband with no protection? You did take basic sexual education, am I right?"

"Yes..." Her eyes looked down, locked onto the floor. Where it was safe. She felt like a child being scolded by her mother. "I... I'm just not sure what to say. Or think. ...But I have another question."

"Ask me anything you like. I'm here to help, not to scold you, Sakura."

The cat girl's ears were pressed down flat against her head, in a defensive pose. She mumbled something. Her lips barely even moved.

"What? Speak up, I couldn't hear you." Tsunade leaned in a little closer.

"Is there any way you can do a test to see who the father is?" Her voice was very soft and meek when she asked. The Sannin was no fool. She could easily tell how embarrassed Sakura was about all of this.

"Oh Sakura... Tell me you haven't!"

She continued to fidget quietly, not wanting to meet the other woman's gaze. "I'm sorry... I just... Please don't say anything to anyone!"

"Of course I won't. It's just a shock." Tsunade put an arm around her. "I know you're going through a difficult time right now... I know I'm supposed to be all professional, but at the end of the day, I'm still your friend. You seem like you need someone to talk to. Tell me what's going on."

"It's a horrible secret. I haven't told anyone, not even my best friends..." Sakura cried. "But it's worse than you think. I can't tell you who the other guy is, but there is one other man I've been involved with. I want to stop, but I just can't resist him!"

"It's not entirely your fault. I mean, these things happen." Tsunade patted her shoulders, trying her best to comfort the poor girl.

"So can you tell me who the father is? It's really important."

"Yes, I can do that for you. There's a test I know of... It's completely safe for you and the baby."

A feeling of dread flooded through her. It was a crippling, agonizing kind of guilt that slowly seeped it's way through every inch of her body.

_'Baby...'_ It was such a foreign word. Especially when she thought of it in this context. The thought of carrying another life inside her was very scary. Sakura knew she wasn't ready for this. _'I'll have to endure it. I love both of them. No matter what, this baby was created out of love. I'll love it all the same.' _

As she tried to talk herself into calming down a little bit, Tsunade was already busy preparing the test. She took some medical supplies from a drawer. There were a few things she had to leave the room to get, but she wasn't gone for very long this time.

She took out a small scroll, and scribbled down a jutsu on it, using a special edible ink. Sakura recognized it because she'd had to work with it before a few times, herself. Tsunade placed the tiny scroll inside a small capsule. She provided her with some water and the capsule.

"Swallow this. Make sure you don't bite down."

"Okay, thank you..." Sakura did as she had asked.

"Now I just need you to be patient. We'll have to wait half an hour for the results. I can stay here with you, or leave you alone with your thoughts, whichever you prefer?"

"I appreciate the company right now. This is a difficult time."

"I understand, I'll gladly stay with you." Tsunade feigned a smile. She was trying to lighten the mood.

It wasn't working.

"Thanks."

That was all Sakura said, for the longest time. The wait was killing her. She just really didn't want to talk too much. It was all she could do to hold in the identity of her secret lover. Sakura wanted to tell the medic just in case, but then if the baby turned out to be Kabuto's, she'd feel really stupid for having confessed to something. It was best if she didn't say anything. She had a feeling no one would react kindly to incest, especially not Tsunade.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Tsunade teased.

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry... It's just that... It's really bad. And I'm sworn to secrecy."

"Have you been seeing Orochimaru? Oh, maybe it's Kiba? What about

"No, it's none of those." Sakura held fast to her resolve. She would. not. tell!

Eventually, Tsunade got the hint and stopped asking. The thirty minutes had passed at last.

"Tell me." She winced, closing her eyes and wishing like crazy for everything to just go away. Sadly, it didn't.

"Okay. Just let me focus for a minute..."

Tsunade placed a hand on the cat girl's stomach. A glowing light emanated from her palm. She activated a jutsu that illuminated Sakura's stomach. The light started out blue, then turned gold, and finally white. Then it slowly darkened to a deep red color. As it did so, letters began to form.

I...  
>t...<br>a...

Tsunade's eyes widened in shock when the medical jutsu had run it's course. Sakura felt like butterflies were fluttering around inside her stomach for a moment... And then it was over. The light faded.

The legendary Sannin could never have been prepared for what she'd just learned. "I'm stunned."

"What's wrong?"

"You... You've slept with that man? I... I know I said I wouldn't judge you but..."

"Who's the father?" She was dying to know now! Sakura couldn't take it. Was this woman just messing with her, or...?

"The father of your child is... _Itachi Uchiha_. Your biological brother! Really?! Just what were the two of you thinking?"

_'Oh. Crap.'_ She panicked.

"I am in _so_ _much shit..._"

"You can say _that _again. I could never forget his chakra signature, as long as I live... Is this the other man you've been seeing? Tell me the truth."

"I guess it's obvious now." Sakura felt completely numb. There was nothing she could say to defend herself. "It just kinda happened. We've always been close."

"I'm sorry I asked." The blonde sighed, having to take a seat in the chair across the room. "This is just... too much."

The two women sat in awkward silence for several long minutes. The Uchiha survivor listened to the clock, as the time ticked painfully by. She wanted to go home. She wondered if she could just leave, or-

Tsunade handed her a piece of paper. "Here. Take this to the pharmacy. It's a prescription for prenatal vitamins. You need to take one every day, at around the same time every day. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am," She'd been completely spacing out. "I will. Anything else I should know?"

"Take it easy. No more missions for you."

"But someone has to take care of Orochimaru!"

"It isn't going to be you. Not in your condition," Tsunade was in full doctor mode right now, "You're not in any shape to fight. You are to come see me again in two weeks, same place, same time, for a checkup. I want to keep a close watch on this pregnancy, as you could have a lot of complications. At some point, you'll have to tell both of them, or they'll find out on their own. But I won't say a word to anyone about this. You have my solemn promise."

"Thank you." The cat girl smiled at her, taking the prescription and gathering her things to leave. "I'll never forget how kind you've been to me. I'm sorry for putting such a burden on you."

"It's fine. I want to help in any way that I can."

Sakura was so grateful she hadn't blown up about it. This meant there was still some kind of hope... Maybe everything could somehow work out. She just had to keep everyone from freaking out over this. In a way, it made her happy that her fallen clan was about to have a new little one. There was hope for the revival of the Uchiha clan yet.

She prepared herself for the long, lonely walk home. Correction: To the pharmacy and then home.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10:<p>

The pharmacist had been really nice. Granted, they didn't know the nature of the baby that she was carrying. They didn't know any of the implications involved. But Sakura did her best to be pleasant and nonchalant anyway.

In addition to the vitamins, they'd also given her some medicine that was supposed to prevent her from throwing up or getting morning sickness. She hid them deep in the bottom of her bag, after peeling off the label. She couldn't have someone discovering her secret on their own before she was ready to tell them. She would hide them when she got home.

Tonight, she wouldn't say a word about the pregnancy. The information was still too new in her mind, it was all still sinking in... Sakura had no idea how to tell either of them. But she'd have to somehow break it to Kabuto and Itachi eventually. She knew they'd ask her questions, and she didn't want them knowing what was going on.

The more she thought of their potential reactions, the more she wanted to cry. She felt like Itachi wouldn't react pleasantly to the news of her being pregnant. Especially with his child. And everyone would know when the baby came out to be a pureblooded Uchiha. It would be even worse when they developed the Sharingan. It would be all too obvious. And how was she going to ever explain this to her husband?

_'Why couldn't it just be Kabuto's?' _

She knew that would pose it's own set of problems, though. Her brother would still be jealous. But Kabuto would be jealous this way. No matter what happened, she couldn't see a way out of this. She'd totally screwed things up. There was no going back now.

_'I know the charade can't go on for long,'_ She thought, on the long walk home. _'But maybe I don't have to tell either of them right away. Itachi should know first, since the baby is his. I'm not looking forward to telling both of them, but I have to. I just have to wait until the time is right.' _

A worried expression was on her brother's face, when she walked in the door. She hustled to put the pill bottle away in the kitchen medicine cabinet. Luckily he didn't follow her. She ventured back into the living room to face Itachi after that.

"I guess Kabuto is still at work?" For some reason, she'd been hoping she could just curl up with her husband and forget this whole mess for a while.

"Mhm." Itachi nodded, seeming to sense that something was wrong. "How did the doctor visit go? Are you going to be alright?"

Sakura was very nervous. "I just have... an illness that's going around. But it's no longer in the contagious stage, so it should be nothing to worry about. Should be gone in a few weeks or so. I may feel a little sick in the meantime though."

That would give her a little more time to summon the courage to tell him. She felt like the father had a right to know first. Although she didn't like keeping things from either of the men she loved... It was already eating away at her inside.

"I see. I'm glad it's nothing more serious."

_'Oh, if only you knew the half of it, brother.'_

"Y-yeah..." She put the rest of her things down.

Itachi wasted no time in getting close to her. He was already moving forward, violating her personal space. She was used to it, and found a distinct kind of comfort in her brother's closeness. He was acting completely normal again, and not making a huge fuss over her or asking a lot of nosey questions. It was a relief.

Instead, he'd greeted her with a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're home. I've missed you."

Looking into his eyes, she had no way to guess what kind of reaction he may have. It was impossible to tell what he would say, or think, or if he'd even believe her without proof. The only way to prove it to anyone would be to have the test done again. And Tsunade was out of reach now, until her next appointment. She could always go to the hospital, but they might leak information to Kabuto somehow. She was out of options, for the moment.

"I missed you too," She replied, as he came over to her.

He kissed her, tenderly melting away all of her fears in one smooth movement. Placing a hand on his chest, Sakura lightly pushed him away. She had to keep her distance, for now... She needed to think. She knew that she wasn't ready to tell him yet. She would have to wait until the moment was right.

_'I know it can't go on for long...' _She thought to herself. _'I'm so nervous... I don't want to lose him! I don't think my heart could stand it. I have to tell him, but... I have to wait for the right moment. I just want to have one more carefree night with him. Just one more night... Then I'll tell him.' _

He untied his hair from it's ponytail. His gorgeous ink black locks spilled over onto his lightly muscled pale frame. He began to gently coax her out of her clothes, but she held onto them.

"I don't want to take anymore chances. Just in case Kabuto comes home or something. Let's take this to the bedroom?" She suggested.

"Alright, if you wish..."

He shed his own clothes, as they went down the hall. Her brother followed her into the room that she shared with her husband. They both knew what they were doing wasn't right, but neither of them cared by this point. And it felt so right at the time.

Sakura watched him undress, then allow him to finally undress her. She didn't want to waste any more time. She might lose her nerve to go through with this, if it took much longer.

_'I have to have him...'_ Her thoughts were out of control. _'Just one last time, carefree like this, completely perfect... I want to always remember him like this.' _

She knew what a huge risk she was taking. She was well aware that he might leave when she told him. But she had to anyway.

Soon he was on top of her, pinning her soft feminine body against the sheets of her husband's bed... It was really hot. This situation was shaping up to be more of a turn-on for him than anything. He loved his sister and wanted to express that. He wanted to be with her, forever if he could... If only that were possible.

Itachi slid into her, coming up from between her legs and holding her close... They both became so lost in what they were doing that they failed to hear the front door opening. They'd locked it, but they each had a key to enter and leave the house. They didn't hear the soft footsteps padding down the hall, either.

Lost in the heights of ecstasy, they never noticed a thing... 

* * *

><p>Kabuto made his way home that day, he'd never expected to be greeted with such a sight. He'd been under the assumption that no one else was home, as he walked down the hall quietly. He was going to change clothes after a long day at work. Luckily he'd finished everything early and, since there were no more patients at the hospital who needed urgent care, he was told he could go home early.<p>

He opened the door, unaware that anyone else was inside... Only to find himself standing in the doorway, shocked. His jaw went slack, his mouth agape as he took in the sight before him. Itachi was... on top of his wife! They were both completely nude. Sakura was under him, writing and moaning as if she were in heat. Sweat dripped down onto the sheets. Moans echoed off the walls.

Pangs of regret rippled through his heart. At that very moment, when he was supposed to be working to maintain his citizenship in Konoha, while he was working to support his new family, they were...

"You're fucking behind my back?!" He didn't mean for it to come out like that. "For fuck's sake! You are from the _same clan_! You're _brother and sister_! This... _This is sick!_"

"Kabuto!" Sakura shrieked, yanking the covers over herself, as if to hide the deed from his eyes. "Please, I can explain!"

For some reason, that only served to make him angrier... He'd already seen it all.

"How dare you betray me like this! I would have done anything for you... I... I love you! _How could you_?!"

Tears streamed from his onyx eyes. The medic nin grabbed a large duffel bag from the closet. In a daze he moved quickly to fill it. He put some of his clothes inside, as well as a few necessities, before zipping it up hastily.

"Listen. Please, just give me a moment to explain. I'm really sorry and-" Itachi began, only to be cut off mid-sentence.

"_No._ I'm_ done_ listening to both of you! I'm out of here. _Do not_ search for me. I'll pack my things and go. I have nothing else left to say to either of you."

He slammed the door loudly behind him. He was already gone before either of them could say or do anything. 

* * *

><p>The cat girl had collapsed into a sobbing heap on the carpet. Itachi was at her side in a flash, trying to offer what little comfort he could... She remained there, in total shock of what had just happened.<p>

"Sakura... I-"

"_Don't!_" She hissed. "Don't even touch me! Just... _Leave me alone!_"

"I know you need some time to think," He made sure to stay out of her reach. "But it won't do him any good to brood about it all alone. We have to go after him."

The pain of losing Kabuto was more than she could bear. Sakura felt paralyzed. It was like she couldn't move at all. This was a shock, even to her... The shock of what had just transpired was still sinking in.

"You... You want to go look for him?"

"Yes." Itachi nodded, already fully dressed and ready to go. "We have to. He could be in danger. And he's also breaking the agreement he had with the Hokage. He's likely to leave Konoha now. The only reason he stuck around was for you... We should go before he gets too far."

Sakura felt it was hopeless, but maybe her brother was right. All she could do now was apologize for her actions... Maybe they could still come to some kind of understanding? Regardless, she didn't feel like the matter was entirely settled. She needed to talk to her husband. She'd never meant to hurt him. She'd even planned to tell him the truth soon. Before he found out in a different way.

"Guess it's too late now..." She mused out loud, allowing Itachi to help her to her feet. She grabbed her clothes from the edge of the bed and "Let's go." 

* * *

><p>Kabuto ran and ran... Blinded by the pain, he'd run off into the forests surrounding Konoha.<p>

_'I can't take it in this place anymore! She can have it all, I just... I can't believe she would do that!' _

His footsteps echoed through the trees. He leapt from branch to branch, making sure he masked his surging chakra as much as he possibly could. He was amazing he was still able to function at all, given the circumstances.

He literally could not she would cheat on him like that. Part of him didn't want to accept it at all. For a moment, he wanted to believe Itachi had raped her, taking her completely against her will. But her moans... They'd indicated that she was enjoying herself. And her posture was a dead giveaway that she was lost in ecstasy. As a medic, he'd been trained to be able to analyze everything. Her expression might have been misinterpreted as pain to the untrained eye, but he knew better. He knew her, inside and out.

No. It was definitely a look of pleasure. And that killed him inside.

_'I'm never going back... Not ever!' _All he could hear was his own rage, inside his head. _'Fucking assholes better not even try to look for me... At this point, I-'_

He stopped. Something was wrong. There was a strong chakra nearby, much too strong to be either of them. It was almost _demonic..._

A familiar voice filled his ears. A dark chuckle emanated from the dense canopy. There was someone waiting up ahead. The chakra signature vanished. And suddenly, they were right in front of him. Before Kabuto could stop, he ran right into them. A large tree branch broke his fall, but he was barely able to hang on. It had knocked the wind out of him. The two ended up on a lower branch.

Orochimaru grinned wickedly, holding out his hand to help the fallen man. Kabuto staggered to his feet, letting the tree branch support him, only to find himself face to face with his former master...

"Well, well, well... It's been a long time." The Sannin chuckled, his voice full of mirth.

"Lord Orochimaru..." His eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same. Things have been a lot different after you ran off the way you did, like a coward. Fools always pay the price. I hadn't expected to run into you here. But it's no matter... You'll be coming with me now."

"No way!" He shook his head, wild silver locks flying everywhere. "I told you, I'm never coming back!"

The medic threw a punch at him, hoping to catch him off guard. It didn't work. The snake Sannin was faster, and he was already working swiftly to subdue his prey. The silver-haired Shinobi wasn't going down easy though. He flung several kunai at him, distracting him long enough to pull out his scalpel. One of them sailed over his shoulder, barely missing it's target. Orochimaru was still more adept, and managed to summon a snake to fetch the scalpel, wrenching it right out of his grasp.

Kabuto began forming handsigns, but it was no use. He was already under a powerful Genjutsu. Snakes slithered from out of the trees. They were everywhere, covering his entire body and grasping him in their coiled bodies... He was fairly certain the snakes were real, too. They would always obey their master.

"As I said... You WILL be coming with me!"

Orochimaru took him, and vanished. 

* * *

><p>Her love was gone, her heart was broken, and all she wanted, more than anything, was to find him. Sakura was feeling really discouraged, as she trudged through the lush forest. She knew she couldn't go to anyone else for help. They'd report his disappearance to the Hokage... And her father would have no choice but to ban him from the village after a stunt like this, when he was still on probation.<p>

Her husband was already long gone by now, but Sakura and Itachi were determined to look for him. Her brother was at her side, his eyes frantically darting around, searching for her beloved. They didn't see any deliberate signs of him, but even here and there they'd catch a hint of his chakra signature. There were also slight broken branches along the way.

It was impossible for him to be very cautious when he was this upset. He was only trying to put distance between them. And Sakura knew that, if their marriage were to survive, that was the last thing either of them needed at the moment.

She hated that he'd even been dragged into this. It wasn't Itachi's place to help look for her missing husband. She wished he'd stayed at home. But he felt partially responsible for this mess, so he'd insisted on helping her search. They had agreed that he'd back off if they found him, and allow her to speak with her husband in private, as long as he did not hurt her.

"It looks like there was a struggle," Itachi suddenly stopped, holding his hand out to stop her from going further. He sounded concerned. "Look there."

"Oh no!" Sakura grasped.

He pointed to a tree with several large branches that had been recently broken off. There were three kunai sticking out of the tree in a straight line, and two more on the ground. Both Shinobi immediately began scouring the area for clues.

"Look what I found..." He held up something small and shiny.

Sakura walked over for a closer look. It was a silver earring. But not just any earring... It's shape closely resembled the number nine, it was made to resemble a Sharingan tomoe. It had a sharp point at the end.

"I recognize this!" A hollow feeling began to make itself known, like a rock sitting in her stomach. She was filled with a sense of pure dread. "Oh no! That's... That's Orochimaru's earrings!"

"Are you positive?"

"Yes, I've seen it before. There's no time! I have to get back to the hideout before he leaves! And before he has a chance to do something horrible to Kabuto!"

She was already running off. This situation made her glad that she'd listened to Itachi's advice, and brought some supplies with her. The ninja backpack bounced along her shoulder blades as she ran. She didn't care. All she could think about was her goal. If anyone could defeat that monster, it was her.

"Sakura, where are you going?" Her brother called after her, but it was no use. She kept on going. "Hold on! I'll come with you."

Feline eyes glowed in the darkness provided by the thick leaves of the dimly-lit forest. A bright amber glow emanated from them. It was clear that she was already losing partial control to the cat beast.

It. was. _on!_

"Put on your Chang disguise, and go straight to the Hokage's office. Tell him about what's happened! Let him know I've started my next mission early! Don't try to stop me, I can promise you will not be able to. Not when Kabuto is in trouble. I'm going after Orochimaru. _Now._"

He only nodded, already going to do as she'd asked. He disappeared in a puff of smoke, the snake Sannin's oddly-shaped earring in his palm. He would show it to the Hokage as proof. Hopefully they wouldn't blame him for all of this. He'd try to avoid telling Sakura's father all of the details of their little quarrel, if it were possible not to.

Itachi still knew he had to hurry. He planned to try to make it Konoha, and back to Orochimaru's hideout, before she had a chance to get hurt. She would need backup for this.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 11:<p>

She arrived at the hideout, already fully prepared to do battle. She knew she might not stand a chance in this fight. But she had to save her husband before it was too late!

Terrified, Sakura stood before the entrance to the underground lair. She wasn't afraid of Orochimaru. She was afraid of what would happen to Kabuto... And whether he would be able to forgive her for everything she'd done, or not. They had a life together. They couldn't just end things this way. She couldn't stand being without him. Her heart was broken, and the worst part was knowing it was her own fault.

She knew the demonic snake warrior would be angry if he detected her presence. She wasn't even certain he was still here. But she had to try...

After she'd made certain no one was currently in the lair, she began checking out everyone's rooms. She wanted to find him as soon as possible. There were a few signs of people having been here recently, but nothing concrete.

She remembered what it was like to be kept prisoner in his harem, and she shivered at the memory. Sakura would not stand to be intimidated by him though. As she wandered through his hidden base, she wondered if the rest of the harem girls were still here... And then a thought occurred to her.

Remembering the way to his bedroom, she moved swiftly and silently toward it. She was lucky her tailed beast was a cat. It gave her the power to move very quietly, and she could go about undetected, unless someone spotted her. Right now, it didn't look like anyone was here. He was most likely in the process of moving his base again, in order to avoid detection by the Leaf. The girls would generally be the last thing he moved, along with his loyal followers.

His bed was messy, but it was obviously still in use. The door to his harem was locked, but as usual, she looked around. After fishing through his nightstand, she found the key that she knew would unlock it.

_'I only hope I'm not too late!' _She thought to herself, as she fiddled with the lock.

Sakura stood in the doorway, as she was greeted by an entire harem of girls. They were confused. Many of them came up to her, thinking she was a new girl who was being added.

"You're not with Orochimaru?"

"Wait, it's... Sakura, right?"

"What are you doing here?"

They bombarded her with questions. The cat girl held up two hands, to fend them off. Her tail curled around her body, defensively.

"Wait, just calm down..." She said. "Listen, I don't think Orochimaru is here right now. This base looks like it will be deserted soon. I came back to save you. And to confront him. I think I know of a way to free him."

"Free him? I think you've got things really backwards!" A blonde spoke up. She vaguely remembered her from her time spent here before. "_He_ has been keeping _us _prisoner. Not the other way around."

There really wasn't enough time for her to explain everything to these girls, about the demon that had taken him over and caused him to do all of this. She would have to act fast if she wanted to be able to get everyone out of here in time. They would have to work quickly.

"Oh yes, I know," She waved a hand, dismissively. Then she raised her voice to make sure they all heard her. "Alright, please listen! I need you all to get out of here. Leave this place and return to whatever homes you are from, if you can remember the way. If not, try going to a nearby village and asking for directions. Stick together if you need to. Find somewhere safe, and stay there! You will find some small towns to the East of here."

"What about... What about Orochimaru?" One girl toward the back of the group piped up.

Several others joined her.

"Yeah, he'll beat us black and blue if he finds out we've tried to escape!"

"What'll happen if he catches us?"

"Is this a test? Can we trust you?"

Sakura could understand their disbelief. After all, many of them had been here for a very long time. "You are free to go! The base is secure, and he is not here right now. You should be able to make it, if you hurry! Go on! I'll stay behind and deal with his fury. I am here to fight him, I'm the only one who can stand up to him! I will make sure he doesn't come after you! _You are free!_"

That was all that needed to be said for most of them to leave. Some of the girls made trips back into the bunker to get what little belongings they had. Others decided to just make a run for it.

They all began making a mad dash to the exit of the lair. They were incredibly happy to have a chance at freedom, finally. They were ecstatic, and many of them thanked her on their way out. Most of them hadn't seen the light of day for several years. It was a strange feeling. Some of the girls were injured badly, but the others were nice enough to carry their friends outside, where they could find somewhere safe. With any luck, some of the local villages would be willing to take them in.

Once they were all free, Sakura made sure there was no one else in the building. She would wait for Orochimaru to return, and then she would strike. She now considered the first part of her mission to be a success. She knew he'd be fuming when he noticed that all of his love slaves were gone. 

* * *

><p>Sakura decided to wait for him, just outside the entrance to his lair. That was the best way for her to tell who was coming and going from the hideout. She never saw anyone leave. But after several hours spent lying in wait, Orochimaru finally showed up. She sensed his chakra before she actually caught sight of him, briefly appearing in front of the entrance before swiftly darting inside.<p>

He was alone.

_'Where the hell _is_ he?'_ She wondered, referring to Kabuto._ 'He should be with Orochimaru. Unless he's already at the next hideout. This could pose a problem.' _

She'd figure it out. For now, Sakura decided to lay low and wait to see what would happen. True to her cat-like nature, she crushed down low in the grass, flattening out her ears and keeping very still. Her only regret was that she could not be there to see the look on his face when he discovered that his entire harem was missing. Several long minutes later, the snake emerged from his den. It was rarely wise to go in after one, not in it's own lair...

Orochimaru was absolutely furious. He was looking around for any signs that someone had infiltrated his hideout. When he'd found none, he returned to the entrance, looking around outside. He had a feeling someone might be hiding out nearby. There were few people who even knew he had a harem.

"Sssshow yourself." His golden eyes narrowed. He seemed to sense her presence, after all.

Sighing, Sakura knew she'd might as well come out. She appeared before him in a flash, a sharp kunai already pressed into his neck. The Sannin allowed it... for now. He seemed to be waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"My, my... I never expected to see you again, so ssssooon." He hissed.

Sakura felt like spitting in his face, but she held off. She knew it wasn't really Orochimaru saying all of these things. It never had been.

"I'm the one who freed your slaves," She hissed right back at him, even despite the way he leaned in close to glare at her. He was trying to unnerve her, yet he could not hide his shock at her words. "You should see the look on your face. How _pathetic_."

She wasn't sure what had compelled her to confess to what she'd done. She knew it would only anger him. She really didn't care if it prompted him to attack her, though. No. She was looking forward to a good fight. Needless to say, the cat girl wasn't the least bit surprised when he attacked her, lashing out with a venomous bite. Unfortunately, it connected and his fangs sank deep into her neck. The venom pulsed it's way through her veins. And yet, she felt no pain.

Sakura knew she didn't have much time to win this fight. She dodged his snake summons that he sent toward her. Her cat-like reflexes saved her once again, her slender frame helping her dance around the attacks.

She flung some poisoned kunai at him, in an effort to distract him. Not that the poison would have much effect, but she could still try. And he didn't know what type it was, so all of that was in her favor. They narrowly missed him.

"Orochimaru! Let my husband go!"

"Hm." The man's signature wicked smirk appeared, nearly reaching from ear to ear. "I'm not certain he'd be going anywhere with you, even if I did."

"You bastard! Tell me where he is! Let him go!"

She let out a fierce growl. The entire time, the cat demon had been lying in wait... Sakura could feel her there, lurking just beneath the surface, lying in wait. She'd been waiting for someone to cross the line! And now that they had... She fully intended to make them pay... _dearly_.

He turned and ran back into the hideout, with her following closely behind him. They said never to follow a snake into it's den... It would restrict all movement and make it easier for the serpent to land a deadly bite. But there was no escape.

She wouldn't let him get away!

Before he knew what was happening, the Sannin found himself pinned against the wall by the Leaf Kunoichi. Her eyes glowed a golden amber, her fangs flashed before his gaze, as he sank her teeth right into his neck. She did it again and again and again. Blood dripped down his neck, its flow relentless.

"I'll give you..." She growled, in between bites. "A taste of... your own medicine! Wretched snake!"

It wasn't even Sakura talking anymore, at this point. It was the cat beast. She loved the taste of his blood, it excited her to no end.

"Get off me!" He kicked her in her ribs, sending her flying backward with a sickening crack.

Sakura wished she could say she didn't even care. But she knew that she was carrying two, and she'd have to be a lot more careful from now on. If he'd gone a little lower and the kick had been centered, things could have gone from bad to awful. She couldn't afford to allow him to land any more blows. She'd been careless and allowed her emotions to get the better of her... She could not afford to make the same mistake twice.

She'd been thrown a good distance, almost out of sight from where he was. The halls here were long, and seemed to wind on forever. She went through two walls, and was in a separate room now. The walls here were admittedly thin, for stone.

Hissing, the cat beast called out a mighty battle cry, before attacking again. Instantly on her feet, she rushed back into the main hall. On her path toward Orochimaru, she had to dodge the many snake summons he still had lashing out at her. For a Jinchuuriki, it was all too easy. Her slitted eyes bled into red, freeing the Sharingan for her use. It would make it much easier for her to avoid his attacks.

"Hm." Orochimaru smiled to himself, a sickening crescent turning upward across his lips. "You won't be able to last much longer. There is a deadly poison, slowly coursing it's way through your frail body. Demon or not, that'll soon be the end of you."

She'd already suffered more damage than she cared to. Sakura knew she needed to wrap up this fight quickly. She wasn't certain how long it would take for reinforcements to arrive, or if they were even on their way. She'd told Itachi to send for help, but she wasn't certain if they would respond. Everything was up to her right now.

"Sure." She smirked, her own arrogance regarding the situation now showing. "Except... You've made one grave error..."

Sakura began quickly forming handsigns in preparation for a powerful ninjutsu. She summoned lightning chakra, and directed it's path to run the length of her arm. She was careful to direct the current around the baby, so it would not be shocked. She lunged at him, and the snake danced around every blow.

"Chidori!" She called out her battle cry.

The Chidori connected before Orochimaru could perform a counter strike or take any measures to stop it. The effect hit him, full force, sending electric currents throughout his body. He groaned in pain, as his whole body, even his chakra, was electrified. It must have hurt a great deal.

She spoke, slowly and deliberately. "Years ago... You bit me. You did it quite often. When you did that, you also gave me some of your DNA. It was incredibly painful at the time, but your intent was to help me... It caused me to become immune to your venom. Or have you forgotten?"

"Do you really expect me to believe that I would be so foolish as to do something like that?" He chuckled, his shoulders shaking with the effort. It was clear that he was trying to hide that he was in pain.

"_You?_ No," She panted, already feeling exhausted from their fight. Daringly, she moved in much closer to his face. She didn't care how many times he bit her. His venom had no effect. "But the good Orochimaru? The one that I knew, that part of me still knows? My former fiancé? _I know who you are._"

Orochimaru tossed her off of him. He'd been caught when he was vulnerable. No one knew his secret... Had he known that she knew what was really going on, he would have disposed of her much sooner. His family had been cursed long ago, and he felt the curse was being fulfilled now.

He didn't even say anything in response. Now he knew for certain that he had to kill her.

Before the fight was over, she heard something moving to her right. A shadowed figured leapt in, from over her left side. A blur of white spikes and red clothing moved past. Sakura's eyes widened when she recognized the person as Jiraiya, the legendary Toad Sage. She could hardly believe the sight she was seeing. She hadn't expected anyone to arrive so soon, if they came at all.

Tsunade was with him, but she hung behind. "Quickly, Jiraiya! Do it now!"

The Sage pressed his palm against Orochimaru's temple. He was very fast. He'd put a paralyzation jutsu on him.

"Hurry, it will only hold for a few minutes!" The Sage cried out.

The snake man could not move at all, although he was able to struggle a bit. He hissed within the confines of the jutsu, struggling to get free. It didn't look like it was working.

"How dare you!" The snake shouted.

"Right!" The blonde woman threw herself between the two men, and Sakura. "We got your message from Itachi. We're here to help. Come with me, Sakura. Leave them to fight."

"No!" The cat girl protested. "Please don't do this! I can handle this on my own!"

"No need to be so proud." The Sannin warrior held her close, fending off attacks from every which direction. "It's not up for debate. You are with child. We're _leaving!_"

Tsunade began to lead her out of that dreadful place, but once they were out of sight, she took her deeper into the lair. The cat girl's ears bent downward, her head cocked to one side, in confusion.

She blinked. "But... We're not leaving?"

"I'm not trying to rescue you..." She muttered, as they wove through twisting hallways. "Only to buy us some time. Now let me heal you! I need to see if the baby is alright!"

"Alright," She sat down on a bed in one of the empty rooms. It was in pristine condition, indicating that no one had stayed here for a while. "And then what will we do?"

"And then..." The woman's lipstick smudged a bit, as she smiled. "That snake is going to pay!"

Sakura liked what she was hearing. The cat demon had receded a bit, falling back into her subconscious and purring loudly, as she licked her wounds. On the outside, Tsunade was busily working to heal her actual injuries. A faint glow of chakra surrounded her hands, her painted nails shining, as she pressed them against the affected areas. She knew she didn't have much time.

"I think the baby is okay for now... You should know better than to fight under these conditions! Especially when you're pregnant. I'll have to see you for a follo-"

They could both hear the battle raging on, just a few rooms away... It sounded like Jiraiya was giving Orochimaru a rough time. This went on for a while, until they crashed through the wall and into the room where the two women sat. A large snake hissed, as it devoured the last of the Sage's toad summons. Jiraiya was knocked unconscious, and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Tsunade's eyes widened, as she realized he'd most likely exhausted all of his chakra fighting the demon. And now he'd also discovered that they hadn't left his hideout yet. She stood in his way, her glare daring him to even try to touch her patient.

Orochimaru had caught her off guard, with a large snake he'd summoned. The creature wrapped it's lengthy body around Tsunade. Her air supply was being cut off. There was no escape.

While it was doing that, the wicked snake Sannin began to cough, until a snake appeared from between his lips.

"Take this!" He shouted, unsheathing an enormous sword from his throat.

It appeared that he'd swallowed it, but she knew better. Orochimaru was very crafty. This was a legendary sword called Kusanagi, which was known to be deadly. And it seemed he had hidden it well.

"Sakura!" The old woman cried out, as she was stricken yet again. "Only you can stop this! I believe in you!"

Sakura was on her feet in an instant, ready to join in the fight once more. She didn't care what anyone said. She knew of a way to defeat him.

The other two Sannin were slowly fading into unconsciousness. He could sense their chakra fading, but they were still alive. Orochimaru ignored them, going straight for the Uchiha girl. He would pursue his prey relentlessly... The others could wait until later to be dealt with properly. At least they wouldn't be a nuisance for the time being.

"No... That won't work." He hissed violently, when Tsunade tried to cast one final Genjutsu on him. "Whatever you do, I'll track her down. I'll find her. She hassss wronged me. The girl is mine! Sssshe is my _preyyy!_"

He had to show her that she couldn't stop him. The demon that possessed him was taking over, as well... He was not to be taken so lightly! Who did this girl think she was?

Orochimaru lunged for her, stabbing her straight through her side. He'd been aiming for her center, but she managed to move out of the way at the last second.

Sakura straightened herself, ignoring the damage that had been done to her, and began frantically joining her hands together in different forms. She hit him with a massive fireball jutsu that engulfed his entire body. She was very worried about her injuries now.

"I'll burn that demon right out of you, if I have to..." She vowed.

The cat girl yelped in pain, as she pulled out the sword that was still embedded in her side. She was fairly certain he hadn't intended to leave it there. Now she would be able to use it against him.

True to her intentions, Sakura slammed the blade into the wall beside his head. Up until now, her emotions had played a big role in avoiding actually killing him. But she could not allow him to harm her child, even if he didn't know about it. She was through playing games.

It was clear that the Sannin was not going to take this lying down, however. Her Sharingan was preventing him from using any Genjutsu on her. This was not an easy fight. Knocking her to one side with a swift kick, he tried to pry the sword out of the wall so he could use it against her again.

She ran toward him. Before he could free his weapon though, Sakura was already back on him, clawing and biting. In spite of all her pain, and the fact that she was now bleeding heavily from the deep stab wound in her side, she performed what would probably be her last jutsu.

_'Everything's riding on this... If it doesn't connect, or doesn't work, he'll win and we will die.' _These words echoed in her mind.

Silently, she'd gathered a large amount of chakra in her right hand. She'd done the same thing with the left.

"Double palm rescinding strike! Of light, of dark!"

Before he could prevent it, she slammed both palms into her own chest, pulling out her very essence, and then pounding the energy into his center. Her own faint glow returned to her body, while his remained attached to her hands.

Two halves came out. A shining energy field emerged from his body, in the form of a yen-yang symbol; one half darkness, the other half light...

Sakura could feel both halves pulsing in her hands. Orochimaru's body was limp and lifeless in front of her. She could easily kill him at this very moment. She licked her lips, the blood thirst sinking in. It was a nice thought. But she was certain he could be more useful if kept alive. Or maybe it was her memories that wouldn't let go...

Concentrating as best she could, she focused her energy on tearing the two apart. It was as if she could feel the pain that raced through his soul, as it was ripped ruthlessly into two separate pieces. This was the only way to remove the negativity, all of the hate he had pent up for all these years... The pain would soon be gone. But she had to endure it herself. She found a dead snake on the ground, and quickly sealed the darker half into it. The task was very difficult, but she'd completed it. The thing slithered off into the shadows.

Now all that was left was to successfully seal the light half back into his body, before it withered away. Sakura held her breath while she waited, in stunned silence.

Orochimaru's eyes opened, the slitted pupils still the same as always. For a moment, she wondered if maybe she'd failed... But he collapsed against her, completely motionless, yet he was breathing heavily.

"Th-thank you, Sakura..." He breathed against her shoulder, his face pressing into her yukata clumsily.

She'd done it! She'd actually managed to bring him back. The real Orochimaru... He was back to his former self! She'd been reluctant to believe it, but this was exciting. The darkness that surrounded his heart was now gone.

And she found that, somewhere along the way, her own demon had receded back into the darkness as well...


	12. Chapter 12

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 12:<p>

After the battle was finished, Sakura could barely stand... And she had to wait for Orochimaru to find his own footing and stop leaning on her. He was okay, but he seemed very weak after having the demonic energy removed from him. The tables had at least turned in her favor, finally.

Jiraiya was still lying unconscious on the ground. He'd fainted from expending massive amounts of chakra and depleting his energy too quickly. She laid him on the bed next to Tsunade. The snakes had released her, but there were red marks around her neck from where her throat had been squeezed. It appeared to have closed off her airway until she'd fainted. Sakura expended some of her own chakra to help heal them, but they still weren't awake yet. They probably just needed to sleep it off.

Orochimaru had suffered only minor injuries, and he was still very conscious. The snake man seemed to regard her with confusion.

"I'm... really sorry for everything." He told her. "I never meant for things to go this far. I only wanted power, and in my quest to gain more power, I forgot the things that were really important. I let the darkness consume me. I was a fool."

Sakura's expression softened into a small smile. If anything, she pitied him a bit. "No need to make a big long speech. I know what was really going on. I knew the whole time. I just wasn't able to save you. I'm the one who should be apologizing... I should have done something sooner."

"Everything got way out of hand," He agreed. "But what are we going to do with them now? They won't spare my life easily." He was referring to the other two fallen Sannin that lay on the bed.

Sakura was only half-listening. She was still paying attention, but she also had more pressing matters on her mind. She had to make sure her baby was alright. She couldn't tell, since she didn't have as much experience as Tsunade, but she was almost certain that she could sense a very faint chakra within her belly. It flickered and pulsed, like a heartbeat.

Her hands glided over her smooth skin, as she pulled down the top of her yukata to investigate her wounds. The cat girl could feel Orochimaru's cold, prying eyes leering at her. She just didn't have the strength or patience to give a damn at the moment, so she pretended not to notice the way her former fiancé stared at her breasts. The stab wound in her side was still bleeding heavily.

A faint glow extended from her hands, as she healed herself. Times like now made her extremely grateful for all of her medical training. She had to use some threads from her own yukata to suture the wound closed. She'd searched Tsunade's medical kit and taken a sterile needle and some antiseptic from it. She spread the painkilling ointment around the affected areas. She worked quickly to close the wound in her side and stop the bleeding. She'd healed it as best she could, and the pain was now minimal.

She was grateful to have had the two tails' help during this fight, and even afterward... She could already feel the demon's power beginning to speed up her healing process. Mostly, she was just relieved that the little one she was carrying within her hadn't been harmed.

"You'll have to come with us to the Leaf. I'm afraid there's no other choice. I hope you don't plan on resisting."

Sakura pulled back up her top, adjusting everything back into place. She was hoping there wouldn't be cause for another fight. She didn't think she had the energy to deal with that right now. Especially not without help. She could handle a lot on her own, and normally she loved to fight, but right now she knew she'd have to tone down the violence quite a bit.

The Sannin cocked his head to one side, his long black tresses cascading down his exposed shoulder. His shirt had gotten ripped up in the battle. He was kind of invading her space now, knowing that the others wouldn't be awake for some time. But he didn't touch her, he just made sure to stand uncomfortably close. He seemed to be mulling things over in his head.

"No." He stated firmly. "I'll go with you. Willingly."

"Good. That's what I like to hear. I am glad we have your cooperation. Don't worry about them, when they come to, I'll fill them in on everything that's happened. Now that that's settled... Where is Kabuto?"

Sakura needed to get right to the point. She stood up from the bed, seeming not to care how close he was to her. Daringly, she brushed right past him. She'd been very worried about her husband all this time. She wasn't sure what she would say to him when they were reunited, but it would definitely be the biggest apology of her life. She was the one in the wrong here. She'd made the mistake, she'd messed everything up. And now it was up to her to fix it.

Right now, she'd be lucky if she even got out of this situation alive. Much less with her husband in tow. She would have to choose her words very carefully.

"Kabuto has been in the dungeon below us this entire time," Orochimaru sighed. "Because when he refused to join my ranks again, the demon decided it would be best to give him more time to think on the matter."

"He's been there the whole time?!" Sakura gasped. She hadn't thought to check the dungeon, since it was left empty most of the time, and she'd only been concerned with checking the rooms. She'd forgotten all about it. "I'm so stupid! Why didn't I-"

"It's not your fault." The snake wrapped an arm around her, invading her space once again.

"I'm not looking forward to facing him again after what happened. All of this is my entirely my fault. And you don't know the whole situation."

Sakura sighed, letting herself melt into his embrace. He was surprisingly warm, for a snake. Orochimaru ran his fingers through her hair, fixing it from where it got messed up in their battle. His eyes were so intense when he looked at her...

She knew instantly that part of him still wanted her. He was just unable to express it. This would be a very bad time for anything like that to happen. But before either of them knew it, they found their lips had found one another, sealing the gap between them. Orochimaru's long tongue snaked out from between his razor-sharp fangs, dancing with her own for a moment, before withdrawing. He'd deliberately left her wanting more.

"We should go check on him." He cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with what they had done.

Sakura wanted to confront him, but... She was fairly certain he already knew of her feelings on the matter, just from his reaction. She was married and already carrying someone else's child. Not that he knew about that, but... She couldn't afford to screw up anymore.

So she changed the subject, hastily. "And what's happened to Sasuke? I really need to speak with my brother about something too. It's important."

"He's run off somewhere," Orochimaru looked down, shuffling his feet a bit. "He said there was something he had to do and that it was time we went our separate ways for a bit. The demon tried to stop him, but you know how he is."

He also muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "damn Uchiha brats," but she chose to overlook it... For now.

"Well I can deal with that later. Lead me to Kabuto."

"Alright."

She glared at him, narrowing her eyes to show she meant business. "It was not a question." 

* * *

><p>Kabuto had heard the battle raging on above him. It absolutely killed him inside that he could do nothing about it. He'd taken to pacing in his cell, and grating his teeth nervously. It was all he could do to pass the time. He'd already made many escape attempts, each of them a failure.<p>

He perked up and ran to the front of the small gloomy cell, as soon as he heard the telltale sound of footsteps approaching from outside.

He didn't know if he was going to face friend or foe. The medic nin let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw his wife's concerned face. In truth, he'd missed her terribly for the short time they were apart. It felt like forever.

"Sakura!" He ran up to the bars, putting his hands through and reaching out for her.

She kept her distance, staying just out of his reach. Orochimaru was with her. His heart sank... He immediately began to fear the worst.

_'Don't tell me she's been captured...' _The depressing thought entered his mind, despite how hard he tried to repress it. _'Or worse, she's joined up with him. No, she wouldn't do that!'_

"Kabuto! I'm so glad you're safe! We need to have a long talk..." Sakura did not waste any time in approaching the matter at hand.

"What's going on? Who was fighting and what was all that noise upstairs? Let me out of here!"

"We were fighting. I... I've removed the demon that possessed Orochimaru, so long ago..." She cast a sideways glance at the Sannin that her husband did not miss. "It was before you met him, but... Everything is alright now. He's different. And the change is, thankfully, permanent."

"What do you mean?" Unsure whether to trust her words completely, he recoiled from the bars before she could touch him. He hoped this wasn't a genjutsu of some kind.

Orochimaru finally broke the tension. "She's come here to ask your forgiveness for what she's done. I may not know all of the details, but... I want to help if I can. I'm sorry for everything that I put you through. I became a monster, and I'm not proud of that. In some ways, I'm still the same person. However, the darkness is gone now."

Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "What kind of trickery is this?"

"It's no trick," Sakura went to him, grabbing his hand from between the cell bars, the cold iron pressing into her skin and raising goosebumps across her flesh. "I promise. Kabuto, listen to me... What he said is true. I made a mistake, and I fucked everything up!" She was crying now. "The last few days have been so emotional for me. There's something that I need to tell you desperately, and I'm not sure how to. But all I know is... I miss you, and we need to talk."

He knew it was her. There was no denying the emotion in her amber eyes, as the tears flowed from them so freely. Not even Orochimaru would have been able to stage something this convincing. He knew his former master's tricks too well for any of them to have worked anyway.

"I've missed you so badly, but... I... I'm not sure what to say."

He pulled away again, needing a moment to think.

"Let him out!" Sakura pleaded with the snake man, who stood ominously behind her. His shadow covered her entire body, blocking out the dim light that filtered in from the dungeon's entrance. "What are you doing? You said you'd let him go free, right?"

"And I will," Orochimaru smirked wickedly. "In time..."

"Stop toying with me!" She shouted, getting in his face now.

Orochimaru grabbed Sakura, draping his arms over her neck from behind.

Kabuto narrowed his eyes at the other man's invasive actions. He knew she was in danger, but he couldn't do anything about it. He wanted so badly to reach through the bars and strangle his former mentor. The Sannin may be his only way out of there, but that didn't mean he would stand idly by, while his wife's ex-fiancé put the moves on her.

"You wretched snake!" He yelled, rage flashing darkly behind his glasses. "Get your hands off my wife before I break them off!"

Orochimaru's sickening grin only widened. "You would presume to tell me what to do? It seems you have forgotten your place!"

His long, snake-like tongue extended, unfurling to reveal a shiny silver key. They key to Kabuto's cell! He dangled it just out of the medic nin's reach, taunting him.

Sakura knew if she even tried to grab it, he'd just swallow it again. Her tailed twitched nervously. She didn't like him being this close to her. He was practically wrapped around her entire body. There was no way for her to escape. She knew this version of Orochimaru would never actually hurt her. That's the only reason she was putting up with it. But she was certain her husband didn't know that.

"Do _not_ make the mistake of believing _you _are the only one who cares for Sakura!" The Sannin hissed. He would let him go, but be intended to get a point across first.

His hand slid up, under her kimono and made her whimper. She could try to deny it all she wanted, but she was

Kabuto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in futile disgust and irritation. "I am well aware of that fact, Lord Orochimaru. All too aware, unfortunately."

"Are you saying that you honestly don't mind if I do this." He kissed her cheek, lightly moving down a path to her neck and finally stopped at her shoulder. Sakura shivered in his grasp. "Or this?" His hand slipped into her yukata, toying with her large, firm breasts.

Kabuto watched the other man with a great amount of contempt in his eyes. He wasn't angry at Sakura... He watched her for a moment, seeing the various expression cross her cat-like features.

She was adorable... Whether she melted beneath his own touch, or the touch of another, it made no difference. She hadn't seemed to be enjoying it at first, but now she was leaning into the other man's touches, playing helpless when she was anything but at his mercy. He was teasing her body, making her moan and whimper at even the slightest touches. He certainly knew how to manipulate her, though that was not so surprising. He already knew they used to be lovers long ago. At least Sakura had been up front with him.

"Honestly?" He looked at both of them, no longer daring to be selfish. "I don't care what you do to her, as long as you don't hurt her."

Orochimaru stopped what he was doing, releasing Sakura from his grasp. "I think he gets it now. Shall I let him out?"

Sakura smiled, nodding. "Yes."

Kabuto stepped out of the filthy cell, right into her arms. She was feeling really conflicted and confused now. She'd felt good about what Orochimaru had done, but the guilt of allowing him to do it in front of Kabuto was killing her. She already felt bad for what she'd done with Itachi...

"I still haven't been able to properly explain myself or my actions. Will you agree to at least listen to what I have to say before making up your mind about leaving?"

Kabuto nodded, without thinking about it. "Yes, I will be happy to hear whatever you have to say. I'm mad at you, but... I still love you."

"I think it's time the two of you had a nice long talk," Orochimaru agreed with them, surprisingly. "I'll get your stuff, and you can use one of the rooms here to talk things out. Okay?"

Kabuto's jaw dropped. "This is... Such a change in you. I'm not sure whether to trust it or not. But I guess that's alright."

"This is how he always was... Before that demon took control of him." Sakura explained, bitterly. "It may seem strange, after knowing him for so many years before, but he's trustworthy now."

Orochimaru had already gathered up the bags his previous captive had brought with him. He stood in the doorway, waiting for the two of them.

"Come on. You may not have much time to discuss things once Jiraiya and Tsunade wake up. You can use my room. It's safe there and only locks from the inside. I'll have to stay with you, of course. They don't know that Sakura succeeded in freeing me from the demon, and I'm sure they won't just take my word for it. You'll just have to act like I'm not there."

"Thank you, we're very grateful." The medic nin adjusted his glasses, still unsure of how to address this 'new Orochimaru' and his helpful attitude.

The three Shinobi walked down the lengthy winding corridors, until they came to the room that all of them knew had belonged to Orochimaru. It was weird going in there for a good reason and not something dreadful or awful... This whole day had been very disorienting for all of them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13:<p>

The struggling couple had settled in for a peace talk. The snake Sannin tried to stay on the other side of the room, away from them. He knew they needed their space. If there was any way he could've left, he would have already done so.

"Just act like I'm not here," The snake man hissed. "I'll do my best not to bother you."

Given the dire circumstances, wandering around aimlessly was not a good idea. If Jiraiya or Tsunade were to wake up, he would've had a tough time explaining to them that he was 'good now'. There was no way they would believe him, no matter what he said. He was a traitor, and their sworn enemy.

"I'm sorry-" They both spoke at the same time, and then hesitated.

"You go first." Sakura insisted.

"Alright," Kabuto adjusted his glasses, watching as she sat on the edge of the bed. He chose to stand beside her. "I'm really sorry for leaving like that. I wasn't thinking rationally. It was just a complete shock, you know?"

"I know. And I'm sorry too. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have slept with Itachi in the first place."

This was the first time they'd spoken about the incident since it had happened. Neither of them harbored any ill feelings toward the other, or so it would seem. They were off to a good start. For the first time since he'd left her, Sakura had the feeling that maybe things would turn out okay after all.

"It isn't your fault. I... it's hard for me to understand something like that. I have to be honest... I still can't completely wrap my head around it. I mean, he's your brother. I don't know how else to say it. It's kind of sick."

Sakura couldn't help but let out a little giggle at his reaction. "I'm sorry... It's just... Itachi and I have always had a very strong bond. And sometimes it's hard to resist showing our affection for one another in other ways. I love him and he loves me. Maybe it's not normal, but we never cared about that. I know what we did was wrong, but... It's so hard to say no when you have a connection as strong as we do."

"For a long time, I thought you and I would be together..." Her husband shifted his weight, uncomfortably. "Exclusively."

"We _are_ together!" The cat girl spat. "Just because I have feelings for someone else too, that doesn't really make mine for you any less strong. I know it may be a hard thing for you to accept, but... I still love you..."

The poor girl was still trying, hopelessly grasping at straws. Sakura realized that even she didn't really expect this to work. Too much damage had been done to their relationship. She wasn't certain she was strong enough to repair it. She wasn't certain anyone could.

Kabuto was lightly resting his palm on her shoulder, his fingers tracing little nervous circles around it. Sakura felt a little nervous sitting on the bed where such awful things had happened to her, while Orochimaru was still under the control of the demon, the first time she'd been brought here. When he'd cruelly raped her. She shivered at the memory...

"I don't care about the others..." Kabuto whispered, embracing the love of his life. "I only care that you're happy and safe."

_'It isn't fair!' _Orochimaru silently seethed, standing in the corner and trying desperately not to look at the happy couple, as they worked toward patching things up.

In a way, part of him resented Kabuto for this very reason. Sakura had been his first. She should have been his all along. He knew she wasn't his to claim, but he desperately wanted to know... What would have happened if they'd stayed together? They were engaged when the demon had taken over his body, so many years ago. To be fair, he had changed bodies several times since then. His clan's unique ability to shed their skin and take over a new body as their own was something that had proven to be very useful to him.

He'd never feared death. And yet... He feared losing her. He'd never given anyone his whole heart, the way he had given it to her. He'd always craved a future with her. The Sannin had wanted her to become a permanent part of his life for a very long time. And if he were being honest with himself... He still wanted that...

He was too caught up in his own whirlwind of feelings to notice the juicy gossip that was unfolding before him. He couldn't care less who else Sakura was with. Not even if it was her own flesh and blood brother. He'd been pretending to tune them out this whole time, but of course he'd heard everything. It was of little consequence to him. He'd learned that he was capable of sharing a long time ago, when his inner demon had first started sharing his harem girls with some of his minions as a reward.

Kabuto had been told by Orochimaru to ignore his presence. Due to the fact that he was so comfortable around his former mentor, and so used to his presence, he was doing just that- completely ignoring him.

Finally, the medic nin spoke.

"I don't care about any of it either. I just... I love you so much."

He couldn't resist. Kabuto leaned into her, touching his lips to hers with the greatest urgency she'd ever experienced. It was as if he'd been lost in the desert for years, and had finally discovered an oasis. He wanted to drink from her forever... Their lips made a small smacking sound, as they pressed together in the dimly-lit room. He kissed her slowly and passionately, his tongue eventually finding it's way into her mouth, where it met her own. It was so intense that their teeth clacked together, causing a smile to tug at his lips just a little.

Sakura could not resist her handsome husband's attention. His kisses were so vivid, flooding her senses. She'd really missed being intimate with him. She didn't even mind the way he was all over her, and using his hips to urge her to lie back on the large empty bed. Even if they weren't alone in the room...

"I love you too, Kabuto..." She was finally able to answer him, once the overwhelming kiss finally broke.

She had already begun to purr... She'd really missed her husband. She didn't even care that she was already half-naked. All she wanted right now was to show him how much she loved him.

He slowly seduced her, climbing on top of her. Sakura didn't even bother taking his hair out of it's ponytail. She used it to guide his face closer to hers, so they could kiss again. During their little makeout session, The two seemed to have momentarily forgotten themselves. They no longer noticed that they weren't alone.

"Mmmn!" Sakura cried out, when he paused their makeout session to bite her neck.

"Heheh..." He chucked evilly. "Just you wait... I'll make it so that you'll never want anyone else again. And if you do? That's fine, as long as you consent to it and they're not hurting you. I just want you to be happy, and not have to hide things from me."

Kabuto nibbled little kisses down her neck and chest. His hands were all over Sakura's body, teasing her lightly into submission. He stroked her breasts, his knuckles grazing over the twin peaks through her robe. He didn't remove her top yet, but he pulled it down to grant himself better access to her left breast. His mouth felt amazing on her skin, it was really warm but pleasant. His tongue lapped at her nipple, his other hand working to free her right breast as well.

She arched her back, leaning into his touches. Sakura was certainly enjoying herself. Every time they paused for even a moment, he would raise to her level and give her a heated kiss. She was melting beneath the man of her dreams. The rest of the world be damned...

* * *

><p>Orochimaru had been watching all of this go on for some time now. He wanted to say something to them, but he had said to pretend he wasn't there. He'd never regretted any words more than he regretted saying that. The couple currently making out on his bed were both doing a very good job of acting as if he weren't there... He couldn't help but feel a tad left out.<p>

In an attempt to make his presence known, he cleared his throat a little. When that didn't work, he tried it a few more times, getting louder each time. They continued to ignore him. He was so quiet, and they were so completely engrossed in what they were doing, they had forgotten he was in the room.

_'How tasteless...' _He sighed to himself. _'Fine. I'll have to take a more direct approach then.'_

He made his way across the room. The two were lying side by side now. He watched as Kabuto continued to attack her with vigorous kisses, while pausing now and then to nibble at her neck. She was moaning occasionally, in response to his other hand already being between her thighs. They were far too wrapped up in each other to notice the Sannin who was creeping nearer...

Orochimaru was deliberately trying to make them uncomfortable at this point. Yet somehow, he was the one feeling awkward. Eventually, he settled on just sitting down. Itwas _his_ bed, after all.

"I'm tired..." He muttered, mostly to himself. He'd felt the need to at least make some kind of excuse as to why he lied down.

The cacophony of moans coming from beside him did not relent. In fact, they only seemed to get lost in each other even more. It was difficult for him to watch this... He couldn't resist Sakura. The memories they and together overwhelmed him.

Sakura was openly grinding her hips against him now. She sensed a presence behind her, but when she glanced back and saw that it was just Orochimaru, she went right back to what she was doing. She needed to make things right with Kabuto. And both of them, really. She'd missed of her loves.

The snake Sannin maneuvered his long tongue to slither up to her ear, licking along the outside. He breathed hotly into her ear, whispering forbidden words to her.

"It's been so long..."

_'It has...' _She thought, though she didn't dare to reply to him out loud. She'd heard him, but she just vaguely nodded a little at his statement.

Sakura sensed him there, she'd felt his closeness long ago, but she hadn't had the heart to stop him or make him leave. Maybe it was due to those long lost glances filled with longing, and maybe a hint of sadness... Maybe it was how familiar his touch felt. Or maybe it was her own memories that still haunted her... In the time it took to process all of it, she'd already let her guard down.

Kabuto was making her feel so good. It was hard to focus on anything else, at the moment. She was pretty sure her husband still didn't know the other man was so close to them. He was too busy doing wonderful things to her body to notice. She smiled, as she looked down at the shock of silver hair that was currently nestled between her breasts. The cat girl began purring even louder.

The medic caught a glimpse of his former master from over his wife's shoulder. His eyes met with Orochimaru's, while she was busy enjoying herself. They'd always had an unspoken connection. They could exchange words without speaking, and rather easily because they'd spent a lot of time working together and knew how to read one another very well. They knew where this was leading. He noticed the other man cast a look over toward the metal handcuffs that adorned the head of his bed.

Gently, Kabuto turned Sakura around, to face Orochimaru. She gasped in surprise, she hadn't been expecting that. His skin like delicate porcelain... He was gorgeous. Her face was eye to eye with his, their eyes locked. Her husband pushed her forward, pressing her lips into the Sannin's.

"Ah!" She flinched away from him, feeling Kabuto's strong arms around her, still holding her close to him.

"What's wrong love?" He nuzzled the back of her neck, trailing kisses across her shoulder blades and leaving little love bites here and there.

"N-nothing... I just... I didn't expect this."

He only smiled. Orochimaru was looking down at her with that same protective look of love and affection he'd always had for her. He was happy she'd ended up with someone like Kabuto. The two were good for each other.

Sakura suddenly felt very at ease being pinned between the two men. Perhaps she'd let her guard down too much, because the next thing she knew, they were smirking maliciously at her and moving the party up toward the top of the bed. She was busy making out with Orochimaru, his talented tongue doing obscene things to her mouth. She could barely even moan, they weren't willing to break apart long enough. She was busy thinking about all the things he could do with her with such a flexible appendage.

Kabuto grabbed her right wrist, and secured it into one handcuff with a cold metal 'clink'. Orochimaru took her left, and fastened the remaining cuff around it. Her eyes shot open wide, her ears flattening against her head instinctively.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Her voice was laced with fear.

She didn't like this, and began to struggle even more. Memories of what had happened to her the first time she was in this bed flooded her mind. When the demon had forced her to do things against her will. It had all been so painful. Tossing and turning, the cat girl attempted to free herself. But it was too late... She was starting to panic.

"Relax, my dear..." The snake rasped, licking her cheek to tease her. "We're only having some fun. Trust us." He winked at her, his golden serpentine eyes causing it to look particularly wicked.

She was starting to think maybe this was a bad idea. But Kabuto had seized the opportunity to slip a finger into her dripping wet center. He fingered her, gently moving in and out. His hand was making her feel pretty good, but it was only a tease. His thumb pressed into her clit, driving her wild by drawing small circles around the tender nub. She bucked her hips, clearly wanting more from her momentary captors. As long as they were gentle, she wouldn't mind too much if they continued.

"Shhh..." Kabuto came up to kiss her, while Orochimaru slinked down her body. "It's okay. We love you. We would never hurt you... It'll be okay."

Sakura nodded, instinctively trusting him. She knew he was trying to comfort her.

"It's been ages since we've even spoken, until now..." Orochimaru muttered. "And yet, I've still been unable to have you yet... To taste your sweetness." He slithered down her body.

She liked the way he was touching her as he spoke. He was so gentle, treating her almost as if she were made of glass. Suddenly, she felt something slippery enter her. Orochimaru licked over her wet folds, his tongue eventually delving between her labia to enter her. She trailed her hands through his hair and down his back, her nails digging into his flawless pale skin.

"Oh... Oh yes!" She cried out in pleasure. "Mmm... More!"

"Mm-hmhm..." He chuckled a little at her response.

He loved teasing her body, seeing what made her moan and whimper... He'd never been able to have her this way before. He admired her beauty, the lovely way she shivered at his touches, moaning from all of the delightful things he was doing to her.

Orochimaru moved back up to her chest. His long snake-like tongue licked over her nipples, and he sucked at them a bit, causing her to whine and whimper at the feel of it. He was very close to losing control of himself. Seeing her like this was incredible, but she was driving him crazy with lust. He moved back up her body to kiss her. She tasted herself on his lips.

"The two of you look so sexy like that..." Her husband panted.

She felt Kabuto feeling around her entrance, getting ready to take her. He couldn't hold himself back any longer. He sat on his knees long enough to remove his shirt, followed by his pants.

"Nnnh..." The cat girl moaned. "I could say the same about you."

"Yesss..." Orochimaru hissed, sensually.

Sakura longed to run her hands over his chest, feeling his muscles beneath her touch... But she could not use her hands at all due to the way she was tied down to the bed. The handcuffs restricted her movement a lot, and her arms were stretched all the way out. Only Orochimaru had the key, and he was currently very preoccupied with her breasts.

The Sannin even went so far as to lift her leg up for her husband to enter her. Her yukata came off with ease. Kabuto slid into her silken depths, enjoying the feel of her tightness around his thick shaft. He slid deep and waited there for several minutes.

Sakura closed her eyes, enjoying every inch of him, as he sank into her. Orochimaru was lying beside her, still toying with her now and then. She knew that he wanted attention from her too, so she allowed him to pull her in for a long, inviting kiss. He licked around her lips, and then moved to one side to nibble her ear. He didn't want to interfere with her time with her husband, but they both seemed to welcome his presence. Oddly, it didn't feel the least bit awkward to any of them. Maybe because they were all so comfortable around each other.

Meanwhile, Kabuto had built up a steady rhythm now. His hard cock was pounding in and out of her. He felt like he might lose it soon, especially when he saw what was happening above him. He kept a firm grip on her thighs, holding her legs up at an angle. His hips slammed into hers repeatedly.

"Ohhh! Kabuto, oh my..." She screamed his name, as her first orgasm hit her. "_Aaagh! Kabutoooo! Oh yes! Uaah!_"

Orochimaru had grown tired of waiting... He positioned himself near Sakura's face, pulling his pants down to his knees. His enormous prick was already expelling precum, glistening at the tip.

When it moved near her face, the cat girl instinctively knew what to do. Taking him into her mouth, she let her tongue do most of the work, relaxing her throat so he could enter. He was huge, and she began to choke a little, so he pulled it back quite a bit. Even if she couldn't handle all of him, it still felt amazing.

"Mmm! That feels _sssso good!_" He tossed his head back, his long black hair falling everywhere.

She sucked him off for several minutes, returning the favor from earlier. She wanted to make them both feel as good as they were making her feel... And she did, and then some.

"Nnngh, I'm so close..." Kabuto moaned. "Saku... _Sakuraaaaahhh!_"

She shifted her hips under him and she felt him tense up. He bucked into her with even more intensity... Finally, he spilled his seed within her hot, pulsing core... And he was spent. Kabuto collapsed beside her on the bed, apparently waiting for Orochimaru to take the hint.

Her legs were still spread open, as she moaned, completely wanton with pent-up lust. The snake man looked at her beautiful pussy, licking his lips at the thought of being inside of her. At last, his wishes were coming true... And he couldn't have held himself back even if he'd tried, at that point.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned two snakes... They slithered up from the floor by the bed. One of them wrapped around her leg, and the other crawled around her waist, before entangling itself around the other leg, holding her spread for him. She had to admit, it was very sensual seeing him make such use of his powers.

Kabuto teased his wife by lightly pinching her nipples. He kissed her neck, allowing her to do whatever she pleased. He just wanted to make Sakura happy. Up until now, he'd been worried about his own jealousy getting the better of him. But it didn't bother him to see someone he trusted so much getting ready to please her. For him, it was interesting to see how she responded slightly differently to each of them. He was even a little eager to see how all this would play out.

"Ohhh... Orochimaru, take me..."

That was all she had to say. The Sannin shed his clothing in an instant. He didn't care that the other man had gone before him. He considered himself incredibly lucky to have a turn at all. And besides, it was Kabuto, and they'd been friends for a long time.

Orochimaru complied with her demands, his massive arousal stretching her wide. He watched Sakura's face contort, as she moaned from the pleasure... All he could think was that she was completely beautiful; her hair strewn about the sheets, the silver strands shining, her amber eyes glowing in the dark just like a cat's... He wanted to savor this moment and remember it forever. He'd always treasured every moment they'd ever spent together. This was no exception.

But he was quickly losing himself in her. He almost couldn't take the insane pleasure and the incredible warmth of her body around his. "Oh, fuck..."

The cat girl was thoroughly enjoying her time with both men. They were so eager to please her, and she wanted to be able to please them too. She was sure she was, but she would have been able to do a lot more if her arms weren't restrained. It wasn't like she was going to run away or anything... Still, it only added to the hotness. Chains were always kinky.

"Oh yeah, fuck me harder... Like you mean it!" Sakura yowled.

She struggled in vain, feeling the unforgiving cold of the cuffs against her skin. Orochimaru's slender pale body was pinning her to the bed, relentlessly moving in and out of her. He was a little larger than Kabuto, and he felt amazing. He had a different way of moving, it was almost like he was boneless, except for the steel-like hardness stabbing through her. He really was just like a snake.

"Uhhh... I'm so close!" He hissed through his teeth. "Mhhmmm... _Yessss!_"

She could no longer contain her orgasm, either. Her slippery walls spasmed around his cock, and Orochimaru knew he was almost at his end. He let himself release into her tight channel, before lying down on the opposite side from where he'd started.

She was quick to bury her face into her husband's chest. Orochimaru snuggled up to her from behind. His snake summons had already faded away. They would have to release her from her bondage soon. He was sure she was probably kind of uncomfortable by now.

"Ohh... That was amazing. I love you!"

"L-love you... too... Mmm..." Kabuto could barely speak, still lost in his blissful reverie.

"I love _both of you_ so much..." She clarified, to make sure Orochimaru also felt included. She hoped Kabuto wouldn't mind. Thankfully, he didn't seem to. He only smiled at her.

"And I you, my dear..." The snake man's lips curled to reveal his trademark fanged grin.

She loved her husband so much. It made her really happy that he was finally starting to be a little more understanding about things. She didn't want to let this tear them apart. She wouldn't.

She knew that Kabuto loved her, no matter what. While she wasn't exactly looking forward to telling him about the baby, she knew their love could withstand it. She was still nervous. She hoped he wouldn't run away. The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt. She needed to tell him soon.

The three of them lay there together, in what used to be Orochimaru's bed, panting and trying to catch their breath. That had been an ordeal. They were all fairly certain it would happen again at some point, and everyone was too exhausted to talk much.

Kabuto patted Orochimaru's back, in a friendly way, to show him he wasn't mad at him or anything... It made the Sannin smile. It was good to have his friends back. And even if Sakura was not technically his, he was still happy to be together with her in this way.

Sakura felt like she'd die just from looking at the pure hotness that surrounded her! The way the two hungry men looked at her... It made her melt inside.

"I wish we could stay like this forever..."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up. **

***EXTRA WARNING* for some sensitive subject matter coming up in this chapter, involving talk of ab*rtions and other adult topics. Just letting you know so it's not a complete shock if that kind of thing offends you...**

* * *

><p>Chapter 14:<p>

"I wish we could stay like this forever..."

No sooner had the words left her mouth, than a very worn-out looking Tsunade burst through the door. She was covered in dirt and a little bit of blood from their battle. One of her pigtails had come undone and her makeup was a mess.

"As do I." Orochimaru responded to what Sakura had said. He was very nonchalant about being walked in on, not even bothering to try to cover up.

"Sakura! I've been looking everywhere for y-" She stopped mid-sentence, taking in the sight before her. All three Shinobi were completely naked, and Sakura was tied to the bed. She was shocked. "Oh my god!"

The blonde immediately slammed the door and ran back down the hall, in the direction she'd come from. The others groaned at her intrusion. They knew she'd probably misinterpreted the whole situation. No doubt she was going to try and wake Jiraiya for backup...

"We've got to hurry and get dressed, before she comes back." Kabuto stated the obvious, while picking up his glasses from the table and putting them back on.

Sakura became nervous, a tight knot forming in her stomach. She knew this did not bode well for her. She hoped that Tsunade wouldn't say anything that would give away her situation. Orochimaru used his key to release her from the handcuffs, and all three of them began frantically scrambling for their clothes. There was no time to waste. 

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the other room, Tsunade could be heard shouting excitedly at the Toad Sage, who was just waking up. She was already in his face.<p>

"Jiraiya! Come quick! I need your help. Sakura's in trouble!"

"Calm down for just one second," He insisted, holding her shoulders to steady her. "And tell me what's wrong. What's going on?"

Tsunade growled impatiently. "Hurry up! I woke up and couldn't find anyone, so I went to look for her. I found her in Orochimaru's room, with him and Kabuto holding her down. They had her chained to the bed! She can't get away. She must be so scared..."

He blinked, still groggy from being knocked out during the fight. "Look... I know you're worried, but... It sounds like someone just had some pretty kinky sex, to me."

"_You would _think that, you idiot!" The slug queen hit him over the head with her fist. She pulled her punch to make sure she didn't knock him out again, but it would still hurt. "That's not the impression I got. I think Kabuto has joined up with Orochimaru again. And they're holding her prisoner or something! We have to help her!"

"Alright, okay..." He mumbled, getting up and dusting the debris off of himself. "Let's go."

The Toad Sage followed the blonde woman down the twists and turns of the halls, until they came to the room that she claimed was Orochimaru's. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a bad feeling about this... 

* * *

><p>They'd just finished getting dressed when the other two Sannin warriors burst into the room unannounced.<p>

"Alright! We're here for the girl!" Tsunade shouted angrily. "Now hand her over, or else there's gonna be one hell of a fight!"

"Um... Here you go."

Orochimaru gave Sakura a little push forward. She stumbled, before the blonde grabbed her, trying to steady her. Tsunade was still tired but she was also in shock from the sight she'd just witnessed and everything that happened. She'd been so worried, and for good reason... It was not every day that two of the three legendary Sannin got knocked out in a battle of that proportion and severity.

"Sakura, don't turn your back on him! Look out!"

"No, no, no! You've misunderstood the situation entirely!" The cat girl did her best to clarify, still standing between them. "I can explain... A lot of things have happened while you two were unconscious. I tried to heal you as much as I could, but you wouldn't wake up. I handled the situation myself, and I can assure you that Orochimaru is no longer a threat. And Kabuto never joined back up with him, so you can stop glaring at him like that."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Tsunade's brow furrowed in confusion. She began pressing her palms into the stunned girl's stomach. "And is the baby alright?"

"Wait..." Kabuto interrupted them. "Did I _hear you_ correctly? _Baby? _What in the world are you talking about?"

_'Oh... Crap!' _Was all Sakura could think.

"I'msosorrypleasedon'tbemadatmeIjust-" She sputtered, unable to speak normally.

"Calm down, hon. Breathe..." The blonde woman sat on the bed with her, holding her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell your secret. Explain to me what's happened while we were out."

"I..." She noticed the hurt look on her husband's face. Words could not express how sorry she was that he'd had to find out this way. She should have told him. A pang of pain shot through her heart. "Kabuto... We need to talk!"

"Listen to me!" Tsunade warned, her voice now tainted with malice. "I need you to tell me what happened. Then you can talk to him, assuming he's not planning to attack us."

"Of course I'm not!" Kabuto argued, crossing his arms and going to stand on the far side of the room.

He only wanted to talk to Sakura alone. This was all getting on his nerves now. He didn't know what to think... He'd just heard Tsunade ask her about a baby. What baby? This didn't make any sense.

Jiraiya was watching all of this from the doorway, leaning against the frame with an amused smirk on his face.

"Told you it was probably just some weird sex thing..." He chuckled. Apparently no one else thought it was funny...

"Actually," Sakura blushed. "That's not too far from the truth, really. After you were both knocked out, I was able to perform a jutsu which pulled the demon's energy from Orochimaru's body. I separated the demonic side from him and disposed of it. He's back to his former self now... The old Orochimaru is back. He freed Kabuto from the basement and we... Well, we sort of... Ahh, it's like this..."

She stumbled over her words, unable to explain exactly what they'd just done. The poor girl's face was bright red. It wasn't easy for her to explain this kind of thing, especially not to her elders and those she saw as being almost like family.

"The three of us had a very good time together while you were passed out," Orochimaru decided to finish for her. "That's about all you need to know. I apologize for my previous actions, everything I did before, it wasn't really me... It was the demon. I could see what was happening, but I had no control."

Everyone fell into a shocked silence for several minutes... Kabuto was still brooding in the corner and Jiraiya was blockng everyone's only way out of the room. They knew they didn't stand a chance against him and Tsunade, now that they were both on their feet again. There was nowhere for anyone to go. And nothing they could say.

"This is... just so much to take in!" Tsunade slumped to the floor in defeat. "I'm sorry that I misread the situation."

Jiraiya walked over and helped her up. "So now what?" The Toad Sage inquired. "Truth be told, I'm eager to leave. All's well that ends well and all that."

"I guess so." Tsunade nodded. "I'm still stunned about all of this. I'm not sure how you managed to pull it off, but the fact that he's not still trying to kill all of us says a lot for your case."

"I guess we should all head back to the Leaf Village soon..." Jiraiya said, forever the voice of reason. He turned to face Orochimaru. "Assuming you'll cooperate?"

"Of courssse I will! I've given her my word." He gestured to the cat girl who stood in front of him.

"I have a request," Sakura bowed her head to the others, knowing that despite her prowess, she was still below them in rank. They both inclined their heads, showing they were listening. "I really need to speak with Kabuto alone. Could you keep Orochimaru company while we talk? It shouldn't take long, but we-"

"I agree," Tsunade interrupted her before she could finish. "I think you two need some privacy for a few minutes before we head out. And Orochimaru and I have quite a bit of catching up to do as well..."

Jiraiya also nodded his consent. "Yeah. Go on and find another room to talk in. We'll wait here. Come find us when you're done, okay?"

"We will. Thank you." Kabuto thanked them, and left with his wife following close behind him.

_'This is bound to be an awkward talk...' _He sighed, already dreading it. 

* * *

><p>"I feel so confused right now. What was Tsunade talking about when she mentioned a baby?"<p>

That sickening knot was back. Sakura's heart sank. She knew there was no way he could still love her... Not after finding out all of this. And in such awful ways, too. No... She couldn't possibly expect him to forgive her now.

"Before I explain, I just want you to know... That I really love you." The tears were already threatening to spill from her eyes at any moment... "And I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be s-"

She pressed her finger lightly to his lips, effectively stifling him. "Yes. I do. I'm the one who cheated on you, and with my own brother! And I'm the one who was too scared to tell you the truth. I always planned on telling you first, but I just didn't have the courage to, and it never seemed like the right time..."

"We really haven't been spending enough time together," The medic sighed, taking her in his arms and holding her close.

"Let me explain first, okay? I didn't want or expect this happen. But, like Tsunade said... I'm pregnant. And not only that..." The tears fell freely now. She hesitated, not wanting to voice the awful truth. "_...It's Itachi's._ Now you know."

Her heart sank even deeper at the prospect of already losing him again, so soon after being reunited with her beloved husband... But she couldn't change facts. She could not undo what had already been done. No amount of wishing or hoping would change that. Things had been done, sins had been committed, many times over... There was no going back.

She expected him to shove her away, keeping her at a distance forever. But he did just the opposite. Kabuto hugged her even closer, holding his wife impossibly tight.

"I always wanted to shelter you from the evils of this world, to protect you properly... I failed at that." He smoother her hair out of her beautiful face. "I love you. And I'm always gonna be here for you. Nothing can ever change that. Thank you for telling me the truth. It means a lot that you were able to own up to your mistakes. The last thing I want is for to feel so bad about it, and to keep suffering. You've done more than enough of that, Sakura... I love you."

She was awestruck. The cat girl literally did not know what to say. Her ears perked hesitantly forward, one was cocked to the side, indicative of her profound confusion...

"So... You're not leaving?"

"Of course not."

"Well..." She wanted very much to let it go, to just drop the subject, but unfortunately she still couldn't. "I've been thinking a lot lately, and... I'm considering just terminating the pregnancy."

Kabuto looked shocked. "I'm not sure what to say. I thought you always wanted children?"

"I did, but not... Not like this..."

She was staring at the ground sadly, unable to meet his gaze. He was fairly certain she wouldn't have been able to stand, if not for him holding her up. She needed someone to help her right now and to be there for her. She had no one. All she had was him. And he couldn't just let things go like this. Kabuto knew there was a time to continue on, and a time to let go. Right now it was time for him to step up and be a man.

"I don't want to tell you what to do. It's your body and technically it's not even my child, but... I don't know. It seems like such a waste. And besides, the Uchiha clan, _your clan_, would finally be revived."

"I never thought about that. You're right." Sakura's eyes widened, as she considered all of the possibilities. The baby, being both hers and Itachi's, would have pure Uchiha blood. Something that was never expected to happen. "It never really occurred to me to keep the baby. I did try to protect it during the fight and all, but it was mostly maternal instinct that caused me to do so. I just don't know what to do! I'm so confused, and I... I feel like just giving up. I've made such a mess of things..."

Kabuto still hadn't let go of her, not even for an instant... Not when she began sobbing helplessly, collapsing against his upper body, throwing herself upon his mercy. Not when her legs had given out and she was unable to stand on her own anymore. Not even when she began screaming and shaking with the raw emotions that surged through her now.

After several minutes of crying, she finally gathered the nerve to look him in the eye... And what she saw there scared her to death.

Her husband looked vulnerable; he looked so lost... And he looked as if he were about to cry too. Sakura's cat-like eyes followed the movement of one transparent pearl of tears, as it slowly rolled down his cheek, gaining momentum before falling to the floor.

"I'm sorry," She told him, honestly. "An incestual pregnancy is already taboo enough as it is... I would face so much backlash and hatred from everyone. Once it's born, the child would face a lot of drama and ridicule. Not to mention the people who would come after my little one for evil purposes, since they're an Uchiha. I don't know if I'm strong enough to face all of that. Especially not alone..."

"There's just one problem with that," He waited a moment before explaining, to be sure he had her full attention. "You assume you'll be alone."

In her greatest moment of weakness, he was there for her. Even through his own tears Kabuto gave her a comforting kiss on the cheek. It melted her heart. She didn't understand how one person could be so kind to her. Especially after all she'd done. She didn't feel that she deserved it.

"I don't... I really don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve to be with you! Not after all the horrible things I've done."

"I understand." He put a gentle hand on her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met. "But I have to let you know... I love you. And I will always be here for you. I don't think you should terminate the pregnancy, but if that's your choice then I will stick by you. If you choose to have the baby, no one except those closest to us would ever have to know. I'd raise it like my very own. Out of pure love. If you'll let me, I'd like to be there for this baby, right along side Itachi. I'm sure he will be proud."

Those words made her the happiest she'd ever been. She didn't understand how he could take even the worst situations she'd ever been in, and somehow make everything okay again. It was like magic...

"I'm just so relieved..." Sakura slumped against him, needing something solid to hold onto.

"Does... Does Itachi know yet?"

"No," She shook her head. "You're my husband, and I wanted to tell you first. I was going to tell you soon anyway, before you ran away."

He could tell by her face that she wasn't lying. Kabuto had always been very good at reading people, especially those he was closest to. For some reason, it made him feel a lot better to hear that. He felt guilty for leaving the way he had.

"That's sweet of you..." He held her hands in his, lightly rubbing them. "But we need to let Itachi know as soon as possible. For that matter, why didn't he come with you?"

"He's still forbidden to leave the village. I'm scared to tell him, but I know I'll have to eventually. Might as well get it over with. I'm scared of how he'll react. He's normally so reserved... He isn't like that with me most of the time, but I still feel like he'll be upset about this. The thought of settling down with anyone freaks him out."

"I know," He gave her another hug, careful not to squeeze her too tight. "And... Just know that I'll always stick by your side, Sakura. Count on it. I might get mad or upset sometimes, but that doesn't mean I suddenly don't love you anymore. I'll be right there with you the whole time. We can clear this whole thing up when we get back."

"What will we do if he freaks out and leaves?"

"I hate to say it, but that's a possibility. We'll just tell everyone it's our child. No one will question it. After all, we have been married for a while now. If Itachi gets mad and leaves, then I'll raise the child as my own."

He felt her soften immediately, her arms going around his neck. The Uchiha survivor gave him a big hug. "Thank you, Kabuto... I love you."

"I love you too... So much."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15:<p>

They all took some supplies from the lair. Orochimaru had grabbed up what he could carry of his belongings, and some were sealed into scrolls. The other two Sannin had been keeping a close eye on everyone, all the way home. One wrong move and it could all be over. He had to convince them that he was not the same man anymore... This was a task that would prove difficult.

Kabuto and Sakura had been chatting animatedly about this and that, during their travels. They tried not to let the dire situation stress them out any more than it already had. And Kabuto was trying to keep her mind off of darker things, at least for the time being. They could deal with everything later. Their relationship had survived all of this, and even better, it had come out stronger for it in the end.

The life of a Shinobi was never easy... They were all certain to face many hardships before it was over.

"How much further?" Sakura asked the two Sannin who were leading their party back to Konoha.

"Not much further now," Jiraiya replied. "I think we need to get our story straight before we get back to the village, though."

"He's right," Tsunade nodded, while darting from tree to tree effortlessly, along with everyone else. "We should all discuss our official report for this whole incident. That way, we can make sure we all have the same story and everything is solid."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses, steadying himself for the next jump. "I don't see why we have to. It's not like we're fabricating anything."

"True... But I have a feeling the Hokage isn't going to like the fact that we've brought a very wanted S-class criminal back with us."

"Are you kidding?" Sakura giggled. "He'd kill for anyone to bring him back! Literally."

"Not funny." Her teacher glared at her. The sage's disapproval was obvious.

"Okay, we can sort out the details later, but we do need to at least figure out our basic story." Kabuto agreed. "We need to make sure he doesn't just decide to execute Orochimaru right off the bat."

They all came to a halt for a second. Everyone gathered around the base of a large tree in the middle of the forest. The roots of which had almost tripped Sakura, as she came to a sudden stop, and began to feel slightly dizzy. She was lucky Kabuto was there to catch her. Being held in his big strong arms caused her to blush a little.

Tsunade had examined the young Uchiha again before they'd headed out. The baby seemed to be doing fine, but there were still a few concerns. She needed to use actual medical equipment to figure it out. As a result, she'd asked Sakura to come with her to the hospital to be checked out the day after they got back from this mission. She hoped the child would be alright until then.

Tsunade cracked her back, and did her stretching exercises while she talked. "So basically, Kabuto was taken hostage by the demon, who was later disposed of by Sakura. Jiraiya and I were incapacitated due to his sheer strength. She performed a type of separation jutsu and was able to weed out the good from the bad. Now Orochimaru wants to seek refuge in Konoha and put the past behind us."

"I don't know if I can stay in Konoha... I'll probably have to do some time." Orochimaru pointed out.

"Either way... You'll need a place to stay," Kabuto stated. "And our home is always open to you, if you ever need it."

Sakura was stunned. She had already been thinking the same thing, and she'd expected him to argue when she suggested it. But of course it was kind of natural for him to show kindness toward the one man he'd always looked up to, as his sensei. She'd never considered that he would bring it up before she could...

"If that's alright with my wife, I mean." The medic clarified.

"Of course it's okay!" Sakura smiled at the tall, handsome man. "I won't mind at all. I thought you wouldn't be okay with it or something."

"No, it's fine. After all, we've got the room to spare."

"Orochimaru..." Tsunade got his attention while the two lovebirds were busy being cute. "If we play our cards right, we may be able to get you off the hook for your crimes. You weren't _technically_ the one who did all of those horrible things, it was the demon. So there might be a loophole there. But we won't know for certain until we get back, after we speak with the Hokage."

The snake man nodded solemnly. "That's fine. Not much I can do about it anyway... I've always been loyal to the Leaf. I just couldn't express that, due to how much control the demon had over me."

"I understand. I know how these things work," Jiraiya patted his old friend on the shoulder. "If all else fails, just let me do the talking. I'm sure I can get you off... Err, that came out wrong... Regardless, it's great to have you back!"

"Thanks... I think." 

* * *

><p>They'd been able to joke around a little bit on the way back... However, once they all arrived back in Konoha, the situation become serious. The group made their way to the Hokage's office, somberly.<p>

Shinobi in the Hidden Leaf village were forbidden to do anything else when they got back from their mission. They were required to report to the Hokage right away, no matter what. At least one member had to relay the details of what had occurred on the mission. And they had all decided to go together. When a lot happened, and the situation was very dire, everyone would have to be questioned extensively anyway.

Sakura grew nervous as they approached the room where her father would be waiting... She held her breath while they waited to be escorted inside. The others all recognized him as the same serious man he'd always been. He sat behind his desk and waited for them all to come in. The door was closed behind them, so they wouldn't have eavesdroppers.

"I am very relieved to see that you've made it home safely." He bowed his head slightly to his daughter, ignoring the others for now. "What I'd like to know is... How you managed to make such a mess of things, in such a short time. You should have asked me before going off on this mission! I've_ seen_ your recent medical records! You're clearly in _no condition_ to be fighting right now!"

_'I know hes just being protective of me because he's my father, but why does he always have to be so mean about it?'_ She wondered.

"I'm sorry, father. I know what I did was wrong," The cat girl's ears turned down, her eyes glued to the floor. She was unable to look him in the eye. "But I assure you that I had only the best of intentions when I set out to find Kabuto. He is my husband. I couldn't just let him go and do nothing about it."

"I understa-" His jaw dropped when he noticed the extra person who was with them. All rational thought went out the window. "What in blue blazes is _HE doing here_?!" He pointed at Orochimaru, who looked oddly hurt by the comment.

"I can explain, sir." Jiraiya stepped forward. "Tsunade and I received word from Itachi, who is apparently being allowed back in the village in secret, unless I'm missing something. He said that we should meet her at Orochimaru's hideout and aid her in fighting him. I'm afraid we weren't really much help, but she was safe the whole time and-"

"Silence! I don't want to hear anything from any of you." It was clear that the Hokage was very angry. "In fact, I think that all of you should get out of my sight! Especially that _traitor_!"

"I was hoping I could be granted a pardon..." Orochimaru stated, glumly. He knew he didn't stand a snowflake's chance in hell here.

Sarutobi slammed his hands down on the hardwood desk. A loud thud echoed throughout the room. No one said anything, they all just glanced around at each other nervously. None of them had expected this. They'd expected him to be a lot more levelheaded.

"ANBU!" The old man shouted, instantly on the defensive. Two ANBU black ops members appeared, wearing their trademark white masks and armor. "Lock this man away! Take him to prison, and never let him out. If he resists, kill him on the spot and send for me. He's very dangerous and you will need backup. Have a team of at least ten ANBU members escort him to prison."

The ANBU nodded and silently vanished, no doubt going to get backup. The Hokage watched Orochimaru expectantly. He was waiting for him to do something stupid, like escape or try to fight back. When nothing happened, he looked even angrier.

Kabuto was holding Sakura close to him, protectively. If something did go down, his first priority would be to get her out of there. He didn't care what the Hokage himself, or anyone else, thought. Her safety was most important.

"The rest of you get out. I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say. If you're taking his side, then you'll be viewed as a traitor as well. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

They didn't know what to say. They couldn't very well argue with the leader of their village. The Hokage has as much reign as a king here... And he controlled their entire military. They couldn't afford to piss him off.

"With all due respect," Tsunade was the only one ballsy enough to stand up to him, although Sakura wasn't exactly backing down either. "I believe you should listen to the details of this mission before you jump to any-"

Sakura'd had enough. "Father, please just _listen!_ That isn't the man you think it is!"

"It?" He raised an eyebrow.

She smiled, now that she'd piqued his interest. "Yes. You see, he is the real Orochimaru... The one who committed all of those crimes against the village was the demon, which had been controlling him, as I'd long suspected.

"Do you have proof of this?"

"I can vouch for her, one hundred percent." Tsunade stated.

"As can I..." Jiraiya added.

"I can as well," Kabuto said. "But if the word of two of the legendary Sannin is not good enough, then it's not like our opinions will make much of a difference."

"Are you suggesting..." He hesitated for a long moment, needing to process all of this information. "That the one who committed all those crimes against our village... Was a demon, and not Orochimaru himself?"

Now that he was actually willing to listen, Sakura and the others began relaying all of the details to him. It took hours for them to tell him everything. When the recently-assembled ANBU squad had come back, they were told to wait outside for a few more minutes.

His daughter was the only one who could get the Hokage to listen to anything... After hearing the whole story, and listening to all of it in it's entirety, he said that he would take the appropriate actions. He would have to risk his own reputation in order to convince the elders that Orochimaru was innocent. As it turned out, they had known of the demon taking over others throughout history. Apparently it was not an entirely uncommon occurrence. The demons were very powerful, but could never compare to the strength of a Jinchuuriki.

He was granted the pardon, and while many of the villagers still feared him, the Leaf Village had been very understanding about his circumstances. Some even felt kind of bad for him, considering that he'd lost his one true love to another man, who had ended up being his assistant for many years. It was tragically ironic... 

* * *

><p>"When do you go in for your next appointment?" Kabuto asked Sakura nervously, as they headed back to the mansion together.<p>

Orochimaru was walking a few steps behind them. He'd been told he could stay with them, and while it might cause some awkward situations, he was eternally grateful. They had risked so much for him, and Sakura had been so brave... He could hardly hold anything against her.

"Tomorrow..." Sakura replied, exhausted from their journey. "I'm meeting Tsunade at the hospital. I'm tired..." She could barely even form words at this point.

"Aww, you must be worn out after all of that. Anyone would be, after everything you've been through. And you heard what Tsunade said after we left... You should be on strict bed rest until you see her."

"Can't. I still have to talk to Itachi..."

It wasn't going to be fun, but she would have to tell her brother the news about her pregnancy. She knew that he deserved to know the whole truth. She wholeheartedly regretted not letting everyone know sooner.

She was glad they'd gotten her something to eat before going home, even if she didn't have much of an appetite. At least Kabuto was doing his best to take care of her. He'd really shown his sincerity to her and their relationship over these last few days. It made her happy that she'd chosen him to spend the rest of her life with. Never once had she regretted that choice.

"I don't even think you should worry about that right now." Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "It's not like you're not going to tell him, but you need to rest first."

"No," She shook her head, causing her silver locks to shine in the setting sun. It would be dark soon. "I've waited far too long already. I should have just told you both as soon as I found out. I'm sorry for the way I handled things."

"Stop apologizing," Kabuto held her hand, as they walked. "It's not your fault and you did what you thought was best. Don't worry. No matter how he reacts, I'll be right here with you the whole time."

Finally, they made it back to the mansion. Orochimaru had been silent the whole time. He was busy thinking about how his old Akatsuki partner would welcome his presence. He was fairly certain Itachi wouldn't be thrilled that he was here, after everything the demon had done. He could relate to Sakura a lot. He had his own regrets to worry about.

Some people had thrown rocks at him as soon as he'd left the Hokage's office. They disagreed with the village elders' decision to grant him a full pardon. Although he didn't blame them, there was nothing they could do about it...

But he was fairly certain Itachi's reaction would be something like that too. He didn't want to add to Sakura's stress by bringing it up. He would deal with whatever happened himself.

As they walked, he mentally prepared himself for all of the backlash he was sure to face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 16:<p>

"We're home!" Sakura feigned a smile, no matter how tired she was. "Itachi?"

A dark figure skulked about the house. They all looked around, instantly on their guard. A very sleepy looking Itachi emerged from the hallway. His hair was half our of it's ponytail, and he was wearing pajama pants with no shirt. He looked completely disheveled. As soon as he saw Sakura, his immediate reaction was run to her and hug her. It was unexpected and caught her off guard.

"Little sister, I'm so glad you've made it home safe!" His grip was almost crushing her, and she pulled away after a moment. "I was really worried. I wanted to come after you, but I couldn't without breaking the agreement with the Hokage. So I sent your message to Tsunade and Jiraiya, and stayed here and waited."

As soon as the eldest Uchiha saw who else was with her, he stiffened. He'd noticed the two figures behind her right away. He wasn't sure what he should say to Kabuto after everything that happened.

And he wasn't certain why Orochimaru was there, or how it came to be that the snake Sannin was not attacking any of them. An ordinary Shinobi would have readied themself for an attack. But Itachi was different... Truthfully, he was always ready for an enemy attack, and constantly on the defensive. He was ready for anything, any time. He stood there with a confused look on his flawless face, lost in a daze.

"I missed you too, brother. But... A lot of things happened. We need to talk." Sakura bowed her head, looking fearful.

"I agree. I'm sure you have lots to tell me. Let's go."

Itachi took her hand, and began pulling the cat girl into another room. Right now, Itachi didn't care about the others. He just needed to talk to her. He was certain she had some good stories to tell.

"Can... Can Kabuto come too? There are some things which we all need to discuss... together."

Itachi cocked his head to one side. He seemed to think it over for a moment, before nodding his agreement. It was the least he could do, all things considered. "Sure."

"I'll just... wait out here then." Orochimaru tried to make himself comfortable on the couch. He felt really left out, but he didn't want to cause trouble so soon. He watched as the others left to have a much-needed talk. 

* * *

><p>"You look really worn down," Kabuto mentioned, trying to break the tension once the three of them were alone.<p>

"I'm so tired... I stayed up late every night, waiting for you to return. Or to see if you would..."

"You haven't slept this whole time?" The cat girl regarded him with curiosity. "And gee, thanks for having so much faith in me."

"It does not matter how much faith I have. It doesn't matter how strong you are, sometimes you face enemies that are even stronger. Results are all that matter. And although I know you're very strong, I did not know the strength of the enemies you might have to face... I was very worried."

Sakura couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes at his latest remark. "Well, you haven't changed much... But there's something you need to know. It's going to come as a huge shock. And I'll fill you in on what's happened, but first... We need to face this."

"What is it?" Suddenly concerned, Itachi put a protective arm around her, trying to be careful not to incur Kabuto's wrath. Although the medic had seemed surprisingly calm about everything in the short time they'd been back, he wasn't taking any chances. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm... not sure about that." Sakura struggled to hold his gaze, she had to look away. She paced a bit, in the small room. "There's no other way to say this... I'm pregnant."

Kabuto sat down in a chair, waiting for her to talk things out with her brother. This was the part that didn't concern him. It seemed like things would have to sort themselves out somehow. They had some unfinished business too, but it would wait.

"I can leave if you two need privacy?" He offered, trying to make things as easy on them as possible.

"No it's fine. This involves you too."

"I... What?" Itachi's eyes widened, his expression suddenly becoming even more serious than usual. "I don't understand."

Sakura sighed. She knew this wouldn't be easy. "Before I had to leave... That day, I'd gone to see Lady Tsunade. She determined that I'm pregnant. And... And you are the father."

Itachi had no idea what to say. He stood there, in a stunned silence. Just staring at her, with those eyes... The ones that had been her undoing. The ones that could kill anyone else easily, in only a moment. The eyes that had looked on, as he'd slaughtered their entire clan. The eyes of a murderer... The eyes of her lover.

Sakura felt like she might faint, herself. She knew she'd gone too far, just dropping it on him so soon like this, after she'd been gone for such a long time. But it was now or never. Either he would accept it, or he wouldn't. And she just had to know! It had been gnawing at her from within, all this time. Now her long and tedious wait was finally nearing it's end.

"Before you say anything," Kabuto stood up. "I'd like to say something, if that's alright with both of you?"

Sakura nodded nervously. She didn't know what this was about. They hadn't spoken of it. "Sure, go ahead." What else could she lose, at this point?

"Itachi, I... I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot. You're Sakura's brother, and I respect that. I wish I'd known about the two of you, and your um... _intimate relationship_, so it wouldn't have been so much of a shock. I wish I hadn't overreacted like I did. I'm sorry for that. But... Like it or not, I've accepted the fact that she loves you in a way that isn't exactly normal. And I am okay with the two of you being together, as long as I'm not left out, and as long as Sakura consents to it."

"It's fine, Kabuto. No need to worry over it. I feel the same as you. However... I have a few questions." The Uchiha prodigy stated.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Why did you choose to wait so long to tell me?"

"Brother..." She sighed, her ears drooping slightly. "As much as I love you... Kabuto comes first... And I needed to wait until the right time to tell him. I planned to tell you both soon, but I was still freaking out about it myself. And then I had to go after him, because of what happened. I'm so sorry..."

"Very well," He nodded, seeming to accept her answer and her apology. "And how do you know that I'm the father?"

"Tsunade used an advanced medical jutsu to determine who the father was. It had your chakra signature written all over it. I can have her fill you in, if you don't believe me."

"I believe you, I just wanted to know. I am familiar with the technique." Her brother had begun to fidget with his hair, a sure sign that he was nervous. "Well... What will you do now? Have you decided?"

"Kabuto and I have talked it over... And we'd really like to keep the baby. You can be in the baby's life as a father figure, if you choose to. But I won't force it on you. In your absence, Kabuto and I are prepared to care for the child as our own. I'd prefer you at least consider staying, but it's up to you if you want to go or stay."

"Oh Sakura..." Itachi embraced her in a gentle, loving hug. She nestled into his warm chest. "Of course I'll stay. It is my child, after all. What kind of monster do you think I am?"

"I love you so much! I'm really relieved. I was afraid you'd overreact."

"I'll just leave you two be..." Kabuto whispered, attempting to quietly slip out of the room.

"Nonsense," Itachi spat. "Get over here!"

The other man included him in their embrace, the two of them sandwiching Sakura between them. Their two scents mingling so closely together like that were purely intoxicating to her... She couldn't believe she could ever be so lucky. Eventually the two pulled away, after Itachi covered her face in kisses, and Kabuto helped him.

"I just thought of something..." She stated, nervously. "What will we do about Orochimaru?"

"I told you, I don't mind sharing you, as long as you're happy." Kabuto ruffled her bangs lovingly.

"The same goes for me," Itachi kissed her forehead affectionately. "If I could put up with him as my partner in Akatsuki for so long, then I can put up with him here. He's normally rather intimated by me. I find it amusing."

Sakura giggled. Leave it to Itachi to lighten things up as soon as she got home... She would have to talk to Orochimaru about this too, but she was fairly sure he would agree to all of it.

"May I ask how your unexpected mission went?"

Kabuto and Sakura began filling him in on all the details... It took a couple of hours to explain everything, but by the time they were done, he felt as if he understood the situation a lot better. He was amazed at his sister's bravery throughout all of it.

"I see... So that's why you decided to bring him here to stay." Itachi nodded.

"And speaking of Orochimaru... Let's go check on him. I want to make sure he's alright. This is all a really big adjustment for him."

The two followed her out of the room and down the hall that led into the main living room. Kabuto was still trying not to get lost here. The Uchiha mansion was enormous and they'd all gotten lost at least a few times...

"How are you feeling?" Orochimaru stood up and addressed her the moment he saw Sakura enter the room. He was nervous for her.

"I'm fine," She smiled cheerfully at her oldest love. "We've worked things out and Itachi has decided to stay and help take care of the baby. You're welcome too. We all say so."

"I'm really touched." He smiled. It was different from his usual sickly sweet smile, this one was genuine. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for saving me... Just... Thank you so much!"

He collapsed against the girl, hugging her close.

Kabuto cleared his throat, as he entered the room. The others all turned to look at him. They were afraid he was upset or something. There were two other men here who were putting the moves on his wife, right in front of him. But oddly, his expression was not one of anger. He seemed perfectly okay with this now.

Kabuto was oddly indifferent to all of this. If all of them loved her, then so what? It was just more love to share. It would make Sakura happy, and that was all he wanted. At least she had chosen reasonable suitors and neither of them were people he couldn't deal with.

"I think there's another room upstairs, with a really big bed. We weren't using it because we didn't really need one that big, but... I think now we might be able to make pretty good use of it. And the people we hired to help us already cleaned everything up, so it should be in nice condition."

"Yes. I'm sure you're tired from your long journey, Sakura..." Itachi looked around the room. "And you two as well. I'll make some tea and bring it up to bed. See you there."

"I'm not really tired, but I guess I can try to sleep." Orochimaru said, following Sakura who was already going up the stairs. She must have been really tired...

The three of them settled into a very large plush bed, the springs not even squeaking. The old oak bed was in great shape. It had four posters, and a headboard with many wooden slats. The covers were a velvety mix of red and black, true to the mansion's Uchiha theme. These had some gold mixed in and they were particularly nice. The bed was so comfortable, and it was huge... They probably could have fit ten people or more in it!

Sakura smiled to herself, pleased with how things had turned out.

"Oh yeah... I forgot to mention this, but I have a doctor's appointment with Lady Tsunade tomorrow. She wanted to give me a proper checkup and make absolutely certain that the baby is really okay. All the fighting worried her, and to be honest, it worries me too."

She waited to see how they would each react to her talking so openly about her pregnancy. It was something they were all still adjusting to, herself included.

"You should definitely go." Kabuto encouraged her.

"I agree," Orochimaru added. "Though it's not really my place to say so..."

"You're right. I'm really nervous but I need to go. And I have been feeling a little sick lately, but it's probably just because I'm pregnant... It feels so weird to say that."

In a moment, her brother returned with a tray and four little teacups. He began unloading them from the tray, after he put it down on the nightstand. He could wait until morning to pick everything up.

Itachi didn't say anything, but he solemnly nodded, as he served the others their tea. It was some delicious green tea he'd decided to make. He would have to use the Uchiha mansion's library to find out what kind of things were best for a pregnant woman to eat and drink. But that would wait until at least morning... Right now, all he wanted to do was crawl into bed with the others.

Kabuto was on one side of her, while Orochimaru was to her left. He wondered where he should sleep... Eventually, he settled on crawling up from the bottom, and resting his head very lightly against her stomach.

"You should definitely keep your appointment. I can walk you, if you need me to." Her brother offered.

"Maybe he should," Kabuto took off his glasses, placing them on the table on the far side of the room they were sharing. "Since I have to work tomorrow. The Hokage made it clear that I am expected back at work at the hospital."

Sakura smiled down at her brother in her lap... "It's okay. I'd like that."

"I could also go, if you want..." Orochimaru offered, not knowing how else he could contribute.

"Sure. I don't see the harm in it. Two handsome bodyguards are always better than one."

"You need to get lots of bedrest," Itachi kissed her cheek, watching as Kabuto did the same to her other cheek. They noticed Itachi wrapping an arm around her waist, snuggling into her warmth. Orochimaru cuddled her from the other side. The three of them were trying to keep her as comfortable as possible and help her relax.

"This is nice..." The cat girl sighed, as she slowly drifted off to sleep, in the safety of her lovers' arms. It was so relaxing to be held like this... "I love you all."

"And we love you as well." Itachi was the next one to fall asleep, the other two not far behind.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 17:<p>

"Sorry I'm late!" Sakura cried, bursting through the door at the last minute.

"About time," Tsunade checked the clock on the wall. "I was about to give up on you. Thought you weren't coming."

Someone hadn't slept well. The Sannin woman had two big dark bags under her eyes. She'd probably stayed up all night worrying... Or gambling. Or drinking. It was hard to tell with her.

"Oh, I didn't have a choice. The men in my life insisted on me coming. But I would never put my child's life in danger anyway... Not without good reason, and even then, not if I could help it."

She'd made Itachi and Orochimaru wait outside for her, in the lobby. She knew it wouldn't be a good idea to worry them. But she needed her privacy, when it came to things like doctor visits. She could fill them in afterward. They'd been so worried for her...

"I see. I'll have to do a pelvic exam, and then we'll move you to the X-ray room where I can do an ultrasound. We've got to be sure the baby is alright. Is that agreeable to you?"

"Of course," The cat girl nodded, her silvery hair shaking with the effort. "Anything for the wellbeing of my little one." She held her hand over her stomach, protectively.

"That," Tsunade pointed to where her hand was resting. "Is a very good sign! It means your motherly instinct is already starting to kick in. Now please lie back on the table..."

Sakura waited while the medic did all of the necessary procedures... She hated it, but it was all necessary. She was nervous the whole time. The hospital room was cold, and not very welcoming at all. She hoped it wouldn't be this way every time. But she had to deal with whatever was necessary for the safety of her child.

It wasn't long before she'd had the traditional exam, the ultrasound had been completed, and she'd had some blood drawn to check for disorders and diseases. Not to even mention the various poisons she could have encountered... A Kunoichi never could be too careful.

Finally, Tsunade had done the same chakra-check jutsu she had performed last time. It was like she was trying to confirm who the father was all over again. That made Sakura curious, but she let it go for the time being. The more questions she asked, the longer this would take. She was getting tired and irritable, and by now she just wanted to get the exam over with.

Tsunade was busy reviewing all of the information. Sakura noticed the perplexed expression on her face... It was making her really nervous.

"So? How's the baby?"

"Should be fine..." Tsunade muttered, still staring at the medical information. "But there's something interesting... There are two babies in there, not just one like we thought. Apparently one of them hid behind the other during the first exam, like most twins do. And here's the real kicker- It looks like Kabuto is the father of the other child."

"_What?!_" Her jaw literally dropped. "How can this be?"

"Well, I'm not sure about this, but... The data and procedures do not lie. I believe the two-tails can manipulate DNA to some level. It caused a change in your own genetic structure, since you're her host."

"The two tails?" She swished her own tail behind her, obviously intrigued and a little nervous.

"Yes," Tsunade was still looking over all her charts and paperwork to make sure there were no errors. "Queens, that is to say female cats, can get pregnant by multiple tomcats in one pregnancy. Each kitten can have a different father. I have a theory that something similar happened to you. That's the only thing that could explain it."

"Eh, it's not so surprising really. I was expecting her DNA to cause some problems for me. But I admit, it is a shock."

"It is. I believe that according to legend, and given what we know about the two-tails, you can only become impregnated if you are emotionally close with both men, and if you're willing to go through with it. And of course, if your body can handle it. Your'e too far along now for another pregnancy to occur. That's the good news."

"Has this... I mean... I don't even know what to say. How common is this type of thing?"

"Very uncommon. In fact, it's such a rare trait that it's probably never happened before. At least, not that we have record of. You're pregnant with both of their children and have been all along. What are the odds, huh?"

"Wow..." She could barely believe what she'd just been told. It would take some time for this news to sink in. "Are they going to be okay? Are they... Are they healthy?"

"As far as we can tell, everything is alright. The babies should be alright, but... It's your health I am concerned about. Bearing these children is going to put such an enormous strain on you, given the odd nature of your pregnancy. It's very complicated. You're bound to have some unexpected problems."

"Oh that's awful... Is there anything I could do?"

"Have you been taking your prenatal vitamins, as prescribed?" Tsunade raised an accusing brow.

"Yes, of course! I haven't skipped even a single dose!" Her seal-tipped ears perked forward.

"Good, good..." The medic continued looking over her charts, scribbling some things down onto a clipboard. "Make sure you get plenty of rest. I'm putting you on strict bedrest until the end of the pregnancy. You are not to go on any missions until at least several months after they are born. And I will be letting your father know about this myself, because I don't want him sending you on any missions."

"Thank you for looking out for me." She bowed to her, already dressed and on her way out. "If that's all, I really need to go so I can share this news with everyone."

"I understand. And nope, otherwise everything looks really good. Just be careful and make sure to rest when you need to... Oh! And I want to see you back here, same day, same time, in exactly two weeks from today."

"Understood," Sakura waved her off. "I'll be here. Thank you very much, Lady Tsunade!"

"No problem."

The Sannin woman watched her carefully as she left... She hoped the poor girl would be okay. She worried over her students, and especially her patients. She was just as confused about her recent diagnosis as Sakura was. But they'd figure it out. 

* * *

><p>Itachi and Orochimaru were still waiting anxiously for her to return. They sat in the waiting room by the hospital's front entrance. The hospital had even expanded all of the waiting areas, due to Sakura's generous donations. It wasn't that bad having to wait in such a nice place. They felt very lucky to be able to live with her in the Uchiha mansion, although Itachi was an Uchiha too, and could have been there by birth right anyway... He still loved his little sister dearly. He was concerned for her...<p>

And he felt bad about what he'd done. It really bothered him, although he hadn't wanted to make a scene about it. He felt guilty for going behind Kabuto's back to sleep with his wife. And he'd gotten her pregnant. And even worse, she was his _sister!_

He could never forgive himself if something went wrong with her pregnancy. He felt like he was the one to blame. She was carrying the youngest remaining pure blood Uchiha within her... Uchiha pregnancies were known to be riddled with problems. They all had to be very careful about this.

He was glad he hadn't had to wear his disguise this time. He would have felt even more out of place, if he'd had to be someone he was clearly not. The villagers were all starting to come around to the idea of forgiveness, and allowing he and the other former criminals to roam the streets of Konoha. No one had started any trouble, so it seemed things were going relatively well, in that regard...

He was relieved when he saw his beloved emerge from her visit with Tsunade. The first thing both men noticed was the absolutely crestfallen look on her face, when she finally emerged from her examination. Sakura looked very upset. He grew very nervous...

"Oh no sweetie, what's wrong?" Orochimaru asked. "Whoa, hang on..."

"Nothing really..." Sakura waved them off, already making for the exit before she was stopped.

Upon hearing her voice, Itachi crossed the room. "How did it go?"

The cat girl took a deep breath, before speaking. She was nervous too. "I'm not sure how to tell you this... I think we should all talk about it later at home. This isn't the place. Kabuto needs to know too. And I'd like him to be there."

"Oh my..." She felt her brother's warmth embracing her. He looked like he might be about to cry. The whites of his eyes were watery, and his lower lip was trembling. He seemed to care a lot about the baby. "We can wait until he gets home, then. I'm here for you, no matter what. Please remember that."

"I want to be here for you too," Orochimaru added. "I may not be the baby's father, but... I still love you and want to make all of this work. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I understand," Sakura finally gathered the courage to speak. "Thank you both. It's nothing bad, just... I got good news about the baby, although there is one unexpected thing... I'm just exhausted. I'm so tired and this doesn't feel right."

"You poor thing," The snake Sannin pulled up a stray chair from behind her, helping her sit down in it. "You need to rest."

Itachi blinked. It was really weird seeing him act like this. But right now, he needed to help his little sister... "Yes, rest for a minute while we figure out what to do. Okay?"

"Alright. But just for a minute... I'm really hungry and I think we should get something to eat."

"That's a good sign." That made Orochimaru smile, and it seemed to calm Itachi down a little.

"Yes," Itachi wiped his eyes, struggling not to show any weakness. "We should get you home after that. I really want to know what's going on and I hope you'll tell me. But right now, eating is more important. What would you like to eat?"

"It's strange, but... I'm actually craving ramen really bad."

"We'll stop at Ichiraku on the way home." Itachi helped her up from the chair.

Once she got to her feet, Sakura felt a little dizzy. She stumbled onto her brother, who had to take several steps backward to avoid falling over too. Orochimaru moved swiftly and caught both of them. The snake Sannin allowed her to lean on him, while they walked out of the hospital.

"I got you... Let's go. One step at a time."

Sakura was grateful to have such understanding and kind people in her life. She felt the love just pouring from these two. She felt like she should probably call Kabuto, and just tell him the news, but he was at work and she didn't want to bother him.

The three Shinobi made their way to the famous Ichiraku ramen, where they made Sakura eat on the way home. Her protectors made sure she ate several big heaping bowls full of ramen before she went home. They ordered some too, so she wouldn't have to eat alone.

Meanwhile, Itachi explained to her why it was a good idea to follow her food cravings while she was pregnant. It could mean that the baby needed something that was in that type of food. It made sense to her, and she promised him she would pay closer attention to what she was craving.

It was late afternoon when they arrived back at the mansion. She hadn't been expecting anyone else to be there, but she noticed the front door was unlocked.

"You guys..." Her eats went flat, and she began to instinctively growl a little, at the thought of an intruder. "There's someone here..."

"What do you mean?" Orochimaru blinked, beginning to be on his guard.

Itachi held up an arm to stop them both from entering. "Listen... I'll take care of this." He turned to the snake Sannin. "You stay here with Sakura. Protect her with your life. Understand? I'll see who broke in and confront them, if need be. Both of you wait here on the porch and do not come in unless I call for you."

They both nodded and did as he'd said. They watched the red and black Akatsuki cloak disappear into the hall. Several long minutes passed... Time seemed to stretch on and on, as Sakura held her breath, silently hoping he would be okay.

"You can come in!" Itachi called from another room. "It's fine! It's just Kabuto home from work early!"

"Whew!" Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Her shoulders felt a lot lighter now.

"I'm so happy to see you, my darling!" Kabuto ran up to her and gave her a light hug when he saw her. "I had clinic duty today, but it actually wasn't that busy so they sent me home early. I think they kind of wanted to give me a break after everything that's happened recently, too. Word spreads fast. I wasn't sure when you'd be back, but I did my best to clean up the house a little."

"Aww, you're so sweet. I love you!" She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. The cat girl thoroughly enjoyed watching her husband blush like that. "You really caught us off guard this time. You don't usually get to come home early."

"So, any news? How's our little one? I take it you're both doing well?"

"Well, yeah..." Sakura tried to steady herself against Itachi, feeling dizzy again. "There's something I need to talk to all of you about."

"I think we need to get her to some place where she can lie down, or at least sit..." Itachi said, helping her inside, while Orochimaru locked the doors behind them.

The three newcomers followed Kabuto into the living room, where they could all sit and talk more easily. Sakura took the sofa, while Itachi and Orochimaru settled on either side of her.

The cat girl didn't see any need in drawing it out any longer. "This is going to sound really weird, but I promise there is an explanation for everything... I'm pregnant with _twins!_"

"Wait, _what?!_" Kabuto had to take a step backward. He was shocked. "I need to sit down for this one. How do you know it's twins? Two Uchihas?"

He stumbled backward into a big chair, where he sat facing them. He held his head in his hands, listening to his wife intently.

"One will be full blooded Uchiha... The other will be only half."

"_Half?_ How can that be?" Itachi quirked an eyebrow, obviously confused.

Orochimaru knelt down to her level so he could hear her better. "We're all here for you. Just go ahead and say whatever she told you. We're all anxious."

"Okay..." She took a deep breath, before proceeding to tell them everything Tsunade had told her.

Sakura explained everything. She told them about the two-tails being sealed inside her, and the cat demon's chakra taking over her own, changing her DNA so that she was more like a cat, and enabling her to get pregnant with multiple children with multiple fathers. It was something she hadn't been aware of before. She was always learning about herself, sometimes too late. When she was done explaining, they all remained in a stunned silence for several minutes.

Kabuto was the first to speak.

"So... Does this mean... We're having a baby too?"

"Yes. One is yours, the other is Itachi's. I hope it doesn't upset any of you..."

"I'm fine with all this," Orochimaru added in his thoughts. He smiled, genuinely happy for all of them. He was glad to be a part of this, and even if they weren't having a child together, he was still going to be as involved as he could. "And I want to be here for you and the little ones too."

"I'm not upset at all!" Kabuto hugged her close, kneeling down in front of her to put his hand over her stomach. "I'm so happy! I never expected to be blessed with such a wonderful gift."

"Nor am I," Itachi added, with a smile spreading across his scarred face. "I'm very happy about this news."

Sakura was so happy... She felt really giddy, like there were many butterflies all fluttering through her stomach at once. It didn't help that her husband still hand his hand there.

"I... I just felt something move!" Kabuto said, excited. He turned to the others. "Oh wow... Put your hands here, next to mine."

Itachi hesitantly moved to do as he'd been told. Orochimaru joined in too. They felt a faint movement, and there it was!

"A kick!" Orochimaru exclaimed.

"No, several kicks..." Itachi corrected him.

"Oh my goodness, really?" Sakura also put her hand near theirs. "I felt it too! Wow!"

Tears came to her eyes. She was so proud of herself for enduring all of this. She was also proud of the way the men were handling all of this, so far. For the first time in a long time, she had hope...


	18. Chapter 18

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 18:<p>

Getting through the rest of Sakura's pregnancy was not to be an easy task... She was having all kinds of complications. She was just glad it was nothing more severe. She'd heard of women getting morning sickness quite often when they were pregnant, and she felt lucky not to have the more horrible symptoms...

"Why don't you try to have another bite of soup? I made it just for you." Kabuto tried holding a spoon to her lips.

It was in vain. She only turned her head away, as a sickened expression washed over her face. She winced in disgust.

Sakura had been unable to eat anything without feeling really sick for several weeks now. She was several months into her pregnancy... It wouldn't be long until their little bundles of joy were here.

She'd been going to her checkups when she was supposed to. Tsunade had told her everything was going fine, at least internally. It was obvious she was still worried about her though. As her pregnancy progressed, she'd begun to feel sicker and sicker. She was really afraid she might not make it the whole nine months. As predicted, she seemed to be having a very complicated pregnancy.

"Ugh..." She groaned. "Nooo..."

As hungry as she would get, any time she tried to eat something, she felt sick and couldn't do it. She just couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. She'd been lying in bed all day due to exhaustion. The cat girl was trying to feel better, she really was... Luckily she hadn't thrown anything up, but the nausea was getting really unbearable.

"You haven't eaten for three days darling..." Kabuto ran a hand down her back, in an effort to soothe her. "At least try? For the babies?"

She knew it was dangerous not to eat. But even the kind words of her husband were not enough to make the sick feeling go away.

"I can't... I can't eat this. I can't eat anything. Sorry, I'm really trying but nothing's working."

Itachi had overheard what was going on. He'd been concerned about her too, ever since he'd noticed she wasn't eating at all.

"There has to be something you might like? Anything at all?" He tried to help persuade her.

"Well you can't force her!" Kabuto snapped. "We've been trying everything to get her to eat too."

"Perhaps you should try not being so rough on her..."

"I could say the same for you!"

"Don't... Don't fight because of me." She stopped them, feeling quite miserable.

"You're right." Itachi sighed, exasperated.

"Yes, we're sorry..." Kabuto added. He got up from the bed next to her. "We should try to figure something out. I know you hate the thought of throwing up, but you have to try to eat something."

"Maybe you're right." Sakura sighed, trying to think of anything that might sound good. "I have been craving meat a lot more than usual. Soups no good. Just the smell of it makes me sick. Maybe if we had some type of beef?"

"We could go get barbecue tonight. Does that sound good?" Itachi offered. "My treat."

"But we all share the Uchiha inheritance money, don't w-" She stopped. "Oh... You were making a joke."

He'd had a completely serious look on his face, but now the elder Uchiha began to chuckle a bit. Sakura softened, her ears perking back up a little.

_'Aww... He was trying to make me feel better.' _

"That sounds fine. I could try, I guess."

"Great!" Kabuto got up to get dressed. He'd finally taken to lounging around the house in his underwear, whether the others were there or not. She had to give him credit. He was adjusting quite well to their complicated situation. "Let's get going!"

Itachi let out a sigh of relief. He turned when he heard the front door swing open.

Orochimaru came back in. He'd gone to the store to get some groceries for all of them, so they could keep trying to make food. They'd hoped she might eat something if she saw what an effort everyone was putting in, but even that wasn't helping anymore.

The problem was clearly medical... But she'd already been to see Tsunade, who insisted she was fine, and experiencing a normal part of pregnancy, for some women. He rolled at his eyes at the thought. His former comrade still had a few things to learn about medicine, in his opinion.

"Oh, I'm glad you're back," Itachi addressed his former partner. "We were just talking about going out for dinner. Sakura has agreed to try to eat something if we go out."

"Sounds good." The Sannin finished putting away the groceries, and prepared himself to go out again. "Where are we going?"

"Probably that barbecue place across town."

"Mmkay." 

* * *

><p>The four of them had gone out to dinner, not expecting a miracle or anything. They just wanted her to eat a few bites. Anything was progress... They were worried about her and the babies.<p>

Sakura had surprised herself. She'd managed to eat an entire plate full of food and keep it down. The meat had tasted really good. And she found out the barbecue place also carried her favorite, which was venison, or deer meat. She still felt a little queasy, but it had diminished enough for her to be able to control it. She felt a lot better after eating. The only thing she felt bad about was that she'd caused Orochimaru to go to the store, and then ended up wanting to go out instead. It was her fickle stomach's fault.

Speaking of going out... That's something she was no longer able to do on her own. She always had to have someone go with her. They all wanted to do their best to protect her and the babies. It was only natural.

There were a lot of people at the restaurant. All of the men had been busy chitchatting with some of the other residents of Konoha. It seemed like it was a nice night to get out of the house... The cat girl waited until no one else was paying much attention, before she decided to just get it over with.

"Orochimaru..." Sakura addressed him so formally now. It was odd. "I need to talk to you about something."

He noticed that her face looked very tried. He'd do anything just to see her smile. All he wanted was to make her happy, and his presence in her life seemed to do that.

"Anything. Just name it."

"It's not something I want, well not exactly..." She hesitated. Should she tell him? "Well, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It won't be long before I go into labor... Just a few short months now."

"Where are you going with this?" He always wanted to get straight to the point.

"Remember when you said you'd send for Sasuke? Has anything become of that? Have you heard anything at all?"

"We've gotten a few leads, but nothing concrete yet. I've had some of the Sound Shinobi who still work for me tracking him for a while now. I have a hunch, but he's in a place where it's difficult to contact him. And we still don't know his exact location, just the general area. Why?"

"I see..." Her ears drooped. "I'd really hoped he'd be able to be here for the birth... He's still my brother and I do miss him sometimes."

"I was still planning to go after him before it's time. Do you think I should set out to find him now?"

Sakura bit her lip. She'd began to grow very nervous about all of this. What if they didn't find him in time? What if it was too late, and he carried on with his master's plans to wage war on Konoha? Or worse, what if he joined up with Akatsuki? They had to stop him, before it was too late.

"Not alone." Itachi added his two cents into the conversation.

"I thought you weren't paying attention..."

"I always pay attention," He smirked. "And I knew this was coming, eventually. The Hokage has pardoned me for my crimes and made me an official citizen... Which means I am allowed to leave the village now. I can go with you to track him down."

"No, it's too much of a risk!" Sakura adamantly protested. "You should remain here with Kabuto to keep an eye on things. And we might need you as backup. You're one of the only people who could defeat him. We'll need to be able to contact you if things turn ugly. And besides all that, you're the person he's always been after. If we deliver his target directly to him, there will be no reason for him to stay and talk to us."

"We?" Kabuto looked appalled. "There's _no way_ you're going! Not in your condition. It's bad enough as it is, without taking additional risks. I know that look... No, Sakura! Absolutely not! It's too dangerous."

"It's sweet of you to worry about me," The cat girl smiled at her sweet husband. "But I'll be okay. I'll have one of the legendary Sannin with me. Plus, I'm an Uchiha and a Jinchuuriki to top it off. He can't even touch me!"

"You're not as invincible as you think you are... Especially not when carrying such precious cargo."

He'd made a valid point, she knew that... But nothing could deter her once she'd made up her mind about something.

"And he wouldn't believe Orochimaru or Itachi or anyone else if they just told him the news... Not without seeing me for himself. Orochimaru is our best bet in getting him to come back, because if all else fails, he can activate the curse mark seal he still has on Sasuke. But there's no other way to convince him. I have to be there in person."

Kabuto sighed bitterly, holding his head in his hands. He had a bad feeling about all of this, but he knew there was no stopping her when she really wanted to do something. And, as much as he hated to admit it to himself, she was right. She'd made a very good case for herself.

"You've made a lot of good points... I want to go as well, but I have to stay here and work. The village needs me and I'm still earning back my freedom. Just be careful?"

He reached for her hand across the table. The medic began to stroke her hands gently with his fingers, in a soothing motion.

"I will." She blushed a little.

"But I want you to promise me," His brow furrowed with concern. "You won't fight. No matter what happens, I don't want you to put yourself or the children at risk like that."

"Fine. I absolutely promise not to fight, no matter what happens."

Itachi and Orochimaru smiled at the two of them, while they enjoyed a sweet moment together. They didn't want to interrupt them. Itachi paid the bill and Orochimaru had already gotten out of the booth. He was slinking down the street and into an alleyway they used as a shortcut when they finally caught up to him.

"We can leave tomorrow." He told Sakura, lightly patting her head as she passed him.

"Good. I can't wait!"

"You seem to be feeling better now." Itachi pointed out to his sister.

"Yeah, I guess eating helped after all... And knowing that I'll see Sasuke soon. I just want us all to be a family again."

Kabuto frowned sadly, as he watched the three of them walking home, just ahead of him. He had a bad feeling about this... 

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until they set out to find Sasuke. It had been a long time since Sakura had seen her brother. She was really anxious about it. They'd called a truce the last time they'd spoken, and he'd agreed not to pursue his goal of killing Itachi, at least for the time being.<p>

But that was long ago, and his recent actions indicated that he no longer intended to honor that agreement. Orochimaru had filled her in on all of the information his team had collected about her brother. From what they'd gathered, he was in the process of putting together a team of extremely powerful Shinobi from various places. The trouble was, he'd had to travel all over to seek them out. That wouldn't make finding him easy...

She had no idea how he would react to the news of her pregnancy. They'd been traveling for days. They were about halfway to where Sasuke had last been sighted, according to Orochimaru's sources. And with each step, Sakura grew more and more nervous. She'd barely eaten anything all the way there.

"We should stop to get something to eat soon." Orochimaru pointed out. He wouldn't let her starve either, if he could help it. Plus Itachi would kick his ass if he brought her back from this mission without feeding her. "Is there anything you feel like you might be able to keep down without getting sick?"

"I could go for some fish. But I'm guessing there aren't that many restaurants around here, so that's not so easy to find."

"True... There's always another way."

He led her to a rushing stream, where fish jumped out of the water eagerly. He began to work quickly, using his chakra to fashion several crude spears out of some sticks and rocks...

"Wow! Smart!" The cat girl squeaked.

"I have a knack for doing things the old-fashioned way," He'd wasted no time in getting in the water and hunting for his prey. "I'm a survivalist."

She watched as he caught four fish. One on one spear, three on the other. It made her happy that he was going out of his way to care for her. She was certain the evil demon that once dwelled within him was gone for good. While he was busy catching the fish, she'd gathered some sticks from the forest for fire wood. At least she could do something to help out.

"And I'm very resourceful." She dumped the pile of tinder in the sand by the river. "I'll make a fire and we can start cooking."

"Alright. I'll clean the fish and have them back to you in a minute..."

Orochimaru and Sakura worked together to make sure dinner was served to her liking. The two of them settled down by the flowing river to enjoy the fish he'd caught. However, when it was done, the scent of it hit her sensitive nose... Despite her cravings, she still didn't feel like eating.

"On second thought... I'm not sure I can hold this down..." She made a face.

"You're adorable, you know that? Maybe it would help if you drank something to settle your stomach? I have some green tea powder, I just need to heat some water and I can make us some tea. Would that be okay?"

"Guess it couldn't hurt to try..."

She drank the warm tea, once he'd made it for her. Sakura would have felt guilty if she hadn't, after he went through all that trouble. She was lucky they'd come prepared for anything. They didn't know what they would have to face when they ran into their target.

"This is really good, thank you. And I think it's helping soothe my stomach after all." Sakura was delighted. Her nausea was slowly fading, after only a few sips.

The two of them managed to eat their dinner, now that she was feeling better. Her cat side was definitely showing through. Orochimaru enjoyed listening to her sweet contented purring. He was pleased with himself that he'd been able to help her. He didn't expect to be much good on this mission.

The trail was getting warmer, and they knew they were close to finding Sasuke... Little did they realize how close they actually were...


	19. Chapter 19

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19:<p>

A figure moved through the underbrush, quiet as a mouse, yet as stealthy as a hawk. A shadowy figure stood at the edge of a small path, watching the two Shinobi enjoy their dinner.

His powerful eyes scanned his enemies carefully. He didn't sense any ill intent, but that still didn't explain why they were here. The fact that the two were not discussing a mission of any kind was strange. And he didn't know Sakura had patched things up with his former master. Why were she and Orochimaru getting along at all? That was weird.

Stepping out from the shadows, Sasuke Uchiha decided to make his presence known. "You know, you two could've invited me to the party."

Sakura's head spun around so fast when she heard him speak. There was no mistaking it... That was her brother's voice!

"Sasuke!" She cried. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Cut the crap." He spat.

"Please don't be that way. Actually, we've come a long way just to find you. We mean you no harm. All I ask is that you hear me out on something..."

Before he could answer her, she noticed the person who was with him. Standing directly behind Sasuke was a tall pale guy with deep purple eyes. His sharp teeth gleamed in the light of the fire they'd started. It was beginning to get dark outside, the sun was already setting...

"Suigetsu?" The cat girl gasped, taking several steps backward. He was the last person she wanted to have to deal with.

"Did you miss me? Because I've miss you..." The way he said it was so sickeningly sweet. It made her stomach turn in knots.

Memories of what he'd done to her before flashed painfully through her mind... During her first stay with Orochimaru, Suigetsu had done the most unthinkable things to the poor girl. He'd even gone so far as to rape her several times. She'd been helpless and he'd been able to do whatever he wanted. He'd taken advantage of her and she'd never hated anyone as much as she hated him.

She despised him so much! Now she wanted to run away. However, she knew she had to tell Sasuke what was going on. She really didn't want his friend to hear what she had to say though. It was none of his business.

"Go to hell!" She hissed, baring her own cat-like fangs at him. "I still haven't forgotten all the rotten things you've done! You're nothing but a filthy bastard!"

"Tsk, tsk..." He clicked his tongue. "Guess you'll never learn... Maybe you need to be taught a lesson again, eh?"

All promises went out the window. Sakura no longer cared about anything. All she wanted was one little taste of sweet vengeance... There was no way he'd get away with this. She lunged right for him, managing to land a strong punch right to the center of his gut. He went flying backward, into a tree.

"Shut _up!_ I don't care about you! I just need to talk to my brother!"

Suigetsu wiped some blood off his face, staring at it, as it trickled down his hand. "Fat chance of that ever happening now! Look at what you've done."

"_Grrrr...! Piss off!_" She hissed, obviously very agitated. Her amber eyes bled into that famous Uchiha red, as her Sharingan activated.

Sakura felt a stern hand fall onto her shoulder. She gazed up at Orochimaru, standing tall beside her. His long onyx tresses billowed in the wind, as he waited for her to calm down. He remembered her promise to her husband, even if she did not.

"Calm down," He whispered. "It won't do the little ones any good. You promised you wouldn't fight."

"I don't give a damn about that!" She screamed, beyond raging pissed at this point. Just seeing him already had her fuming. And then he had the nerve to talk to her in such a way? His snide comments had immediately gotten under her skin. "I already owe him an ass-kicking for everything he did before. I _won't_ let it go! It was _unforgivable!_"

Sasuke seemed oddly calm for a man who was watching his comrade get beaten up by a girl. His smirk conveyed that he found all of this amusing. Probably because he knew what Suigetsu had done to his sister before. Honestly, the man did have it coming. He had for a while.

The shark man got up and walked over the riverbank. Blood still ran from the wound on his head, but he didn't care. He sat down by the water's edge, and without a word, he melted into the stream. He'd fused his own body with the water! Sakura had never seen his ability in action, and she watched him with grim fascination. But there wasn't much time to be amused by his antics... He was headed straight for her!

Fortunately, she trusted her cat-like reflexes. With her Sharingan active, she was able to sense all of his movements, almost before he did. The cat girl struck him repeatedly, disabling his every attack. Every time he came at her, she countered it with several strikes of her own. Eventually, Suigetsu fell to the ground, defeated.

She checked his pulse. "He is alive, but no longer conscious. Pity. I would have rather killed him for what he did."

"I should've known he was no match for you," Sasuke slowly drew his katana from it's sheath. "However, he was my comrade, and a member of Team Taka... I can't just let that slide."

"Wait Sasuke, you don't understand!"

"I understand everything perfectly." He aimed his sword right at them, preparing for an attack. Surges of energy danced along the blade. "I won't harm you, because you are my sister. You know I won't change my ways so easily. So instead, I will take out my retribution on that sidekick of yours. I'm assuming the demon has left him, which means he's useless to me now."

"You... You knew about the demon?" Sakura gasped.

"I know a lot of things. We can talk once that useless snake is dead. But first... What is it you came here to say to me? It must be important. So I will hear you out."

Orochimaru said nothing. The brat could try to kill him if he wished. He knew the boy was bluffing anyway. He had seen the hint of emotion he'd shown for his sister. Nothing could truly undo the bonds of family, or of love. He stood, waiting for her to speak the words she'd been wanting to for so long.

"Go on, Sakura. Tell him."

"Why are you even here? How does any of this concern you?" Sasuke demanded of his former mentor and Sensei.

"He's here because I needed someone to come with me. It isn't good for me to be traveling alone right now..."

"What's going on? Tell me. I'll hear whatever you have to say. But you should know that I've made up my mind. I'm not coming back to Konoha."

"Very well..." Sakura bowed to him, showing that she respected his wishes, whatever they may be. "There is something I feel you should know. I'll just come right out and say it, before anything else happens. I'm pregnant... Pregnant with twins. One is Kabuto's, and the other... Is Itachi's. We will be welcoming two new Uchihas to the clan."

She paused to let the words sink in. Sasuke stood there, staring. His jaw was just slightly slack, and he was neither smiling nor frowning. He simply looked stunned. He didn't know what to say. He just stood there, looking at his sister, his mind unable to comprehend the words she'd just hit him with.

"Well, say something." Orochimaru insisted. "You wanted to know the truth so badly, and now you know it. I came because I couldn't wait to see your reaction."

"How am I supposed to react to that?" He sneered. "Am I supposed to be _happy?_ You think that's going to _change _anything?"

Sakura felt herself beginning to tear up. She told herself that she would not cry in front of him. No matter what, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. It was clear that this was no longer the happy reunion she'd once hoped it would be...

"I'm sorry. But I'm telling you the truth."

He seemed to be reading too much into it. She noticed that all this time, his eyes had been glowing with a familiar red tint... He had his Sharingan activated. He would know she was not lying. She had no reason to, in the first place.

"How could you sleep with our brother? Sakura, that's sick..." The young Uchiha boy actually laughed. "I won't kill them or attack you, because I do love you Sakura. You're still my sister. And as much as I hate everyone else, I could never truly hate you."

"I have to say, I'm surprised. I thought maybe you'd react with anger. That's another reason I brought an escort."

"I wish you could learn to trust me," He continued his rant, almost oblivious to her presence anymore. He'd been through a lot, and was still processing all of it. And now this unexpected news had blindsided him too. "I don't care about the babies. That's why I wanted vengeance so badly... To protect you, and the future of our clan. I knew it could be revived. I just never thought it would be done in such a way."

Sasuke didn't wait. He rushed over to her, and she felt his arms go around her. He was... He was hugging her? Well, it felt nice. She leaned into the hug, returning his affections. She lightly kissed his cheek, feeling herself blush a little as she did so. She never knew he cared so much.

"I love you, brother! Please return to Konoha with me? Things can be okay again, you'll see!"

"I love you as well... But I'm still not going to return. I'm sorry. I can't go back to that place. Not ever."

"I can't go back without you. I promised Itachi and everyone else that I'd bring you back."

It was true. She'd made that exact promise before she'd gone off on her most recent adventure. She wanted her children to grow up with their real Uncle. He and Itachi were the only family she had left.

"Then I must kill you..." Sasuke became fiercely serious. "I really shouldn't allow our cursed clan to be reborn. Especially not in such a vile way. It would be such an injustice, after everything I've tried to do to prevent more suffering in our clan."

Orochimaru had officially had it. He'd lost his patience with the boy. Without thinking, he activated the curse mark seal. It had little effect. It seemed that the demon had mostly controlled that. He wasn't able to take control of his underling like he had hoped. He began summoning snakes to help deal with him, while he prepared a more powerful jutsu to use.

"You are a fool. I won't let you do anything to her!" He yelled at his former protégé.

The next thing he knew, Sasuke was running at him. The blade of his katana gleamed in the moonlight, the sun had long since gone... Before he could blink, he was being run through with it. A bolt of lightning ran through the metal, sizzling as it zapped through the wound made by the blade.

Luckily, it had only hit his arm. But Orochimaru slumped to the ground with a dull thud. He was out cold. Sasuke noticed the distraught look on his sister's face.

"Don't worry. He's not dead. I only used a paralysis jutsu to put him under..."

Sakura was still trying her best to keep her promises not to do anything drastic like fighting, for the babies' sake. It was harder than she could have ever imagined. It wasn't easy not doing anything about it when she'd just seen someone she cared about a lot go down like it was nothing. Her brother had obviously gotten a lot stronger, and she wasn't even sure if she could take him in a fight, if it came down to it.

Although she had barely had to lift a finger when fighting Suigetsu, the effort of her attacks had taken it's toll on her. She saw what Tsunade had meant when she said her body would be a lot more frail than usual... Sakura was already fighting off exhaustion. She'd begun panting now, and that wasn't a good sign. She hurt all over.

"A-Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, sheathing his sword.

She was glaring at him, her eyes full of pure hatred. "I don't think so... I... I don't feel so good..." Her breathing was very labored.

It was clear that the cat girl had begun experiencing severe complications. This situation was stressing her out way too much, and she began to panic. It wasn't good that her partner had been defeated and now she was out here all alone with a man who was threatening to kill her and her children. It was hard to tell if he was serious. Sasuke had always been unpredictable. She never knew what he was going to do.

She felt pangs of pain go through her stomach and travel up her back. This wasn't good... She needed to lie down. But now was a horrible time to do that. Unable to resist following her instincts any longer, Sakura sat down in the grass under a tree.

"What's going on?" Showing concern, Sasuke knelt by her side.

"I'm not sure. I feel really warm... I just need to rest for a while."

"Are you going into labor?" He sounded really freaked out by the idea. He'd probably go into shock if she did that. Especially if he was alone with her.

"No. It isn't time for the birth yet. Way too soon. Still have a couple of months to go." She paused, her tongue rolling out as she panted. Her hand was on her stomach, her face twisted in pain. She struggled to talk through the agony. "I just... feel so... hot and so... very dizzy..."

The whole forest around her appeared to be spinning. Sasuke just watched her, kneeling over her, and nodding as she spoke. Sweat was pouring from her skin, soaking her yukata all the way through. It felt like all of her muscles and nerves were on fire. It was like bearing this burden was literally eating her alive.

For the first time in a long while, Sakura was uncertain. She'd been so sure of herself when she'd come on this mission. She knew she'd be able to get through to Sasuke. Now she wasn't even sure if she really had. She was at his mercy, and that terrified her in a way she had never felt. She knew that she had no more control over anything, and she closed her eyes, giving in to the harsh pain, as her world faded away into cold black nothingness...

* * *

><p>Sasuke didn't know what to do in this situation. He was still debating everything in his head... He knew whatever he did, he would have to act fast. She probably didn't have very much time left. He wasn't even sure what was wrong with her.<p>

It was true, he had considered taking care of the problem and getting rid of her and the unborn children. She couldn't believe she and Itachi had really... He closed his eyes, willing the thoughts away. That was something he just couldn't wrap his head around. Maybe they'd purposefully done it in order to revive the clan? Whatever the reason, he couldn't help but feel very apprehensive about it.

He checked her pulse. She was out cold. The babies seemed to be okay. There was no bleeding, at least as far as he could tell. Maybe fainting was the best thing for her. At least she wasn't in pain anymore.

_'Why did everyone have to pass out?' _He thought. _'Tch. Bunch of weaklings...'_

He decided the best course of action would be to awaken Suigetsu. He would need his help, either way he chose to go. He went over to where he'd fallen out cold, picking his upper torso up from the ground.

Sasuke made sure no one else was around, glancing over the surrounding area, before using his fingers to pry his comrade's eyelids open. They were cold and lifeless, although the man was still clearly breathing. He also still had a chakra signature and a pulse. He stared into those deep purple eyes, trying to focus with his Sharingan...

To his own surprise, it actually worked. A red and black vortex swirled through the space he had created in his mind. Inside Suigetsu's man, he noticed the shark man standing at the edge of a cliff.

"Suigetsu... I need you to come out. I need your help." He stated, walking over to him.

The man turned around. "I've been trying. I don't know how."

"Just try to focus... Try really hard. You must use your own willpower to overcome your fainting."

"I'll give it my best," Suigetsu backed away a few steps. He seemed really hesitant. "Please don't hurt me." He was actually trembling a bit.

"Suigetsu... Are you really... Are you afraid of me?" Sasuke smirked.

"A little, yes. I wasn't lying when I said you're one of the most Shinobi I've ever met, you know."

"Well never mind that. I'm not here to harm you, although I could do so very easily. I'll do my best to help you become conscious again. See you in a few."

Sasuke made some complex handsigns, and vanished in a puff of black smoke.

"Okay... No prob." He grinned with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, as he waved goodbye to his friend.

Suigetsu's eyes opened... He was finally awake. Sasuke's worried look softened. He was glad he'd been able to bring him back into consciousness without doing any damage. He'd never tried that technique before.

"I suppose you're pleased with yourself," Suigetsu growled. "Don't ever try that again, you jerk!"

"Yeah, yeah... I wasn't even sure it'd work. But right now we've got more important things to worry about."

"Oh, wow." The shark man remarked in a singsong voice, as he looked around. He noticed that Orochimaru and Sakura were now as unconscious as he'd been a few minutes ago. "You really did a number on them while I was out cold."

Sasuke didn't say anything, he just nodded. He'd always been a man of few words.

"So what happened? And what are we doing? Do you want me to kill them?"

"No," The Uchiha glared at him. He was kind of peeved for what he did to his sister, even if it was a long time ago. "I want you to apologize to her."

"But she's not even awake! And why should I?"

Sasuke moved in close, getting right into his face. He had his katana unsheathed in a flash, and it was dangerously close to piercing through his companion's neck. "Because if you don't, I'll slice you to ribbons. Say it to her anyway. I'm sure at least part of it will get through."

"You're right," He sighed. "I guess I do owe the poor girl that much. I really do regret what I did... I was an animal back then."

Gathering all his courage, Suigetsu went over to where Sakura's body lay, beneath one of the forest trees near the riverbank. "Sakura... I'm sorry for what I did. I hope someday you'll forgive me."

Surprisingly, his words had sounded genuine. Now came the real dilemma. But who was he kidding? He couldn't really kill his own flesh and blood... He could never be the killer that Itachi was. He'd be no better if he repeated the same mistakes.

"I've decided to take them back to Konoha."

"Won't we get in trouble if we do that?"

"Not if we're careful. We'll only take them to the edge of the village, where someone will find them. Sakura needs urgent medical care. I think she'd having pregnancy complications. We need to go now."

"Aww man! We haven't eaten in days!"

"We'll get something afterward. It's the middle of the night now anyway."

"Aren't we at least going to rest?"

"No." Sasuke snapped, stubborn as ever. "I have to get her there quickly. Consider this an emergency side mission. We'll continue with our real one after we do this. I need you to carry Orochimaru. I'll carry my sister."

Suigetsu sighed. "Guess there's no use arguing with you, as usual. Okay man, let's do this!"

The two Shinobi gently lifted the others, already taking them in the direction of Konoha...


	20. Chapter 20

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 20:<p>

Sakura woke up in a daze. She had to wait for her eyes to adjust to the harsh light that was coming from the ceiling.

Wait... _Ceiling?_ Hadn't she been _outside?!_

The cat girl sat straight up. She got tangled up in the covers that had been placed over her. Covers? She looked around to see that she was in a bed. It looked like she was in a hospital room. She checked herself for injuries, but didn't find any. Her stomach was getting quite large, and she felt like the babies were still there. She could feel them kicking her, occasionally.

The last thing she remembered was having an argument with Sasuke, after telling him she was pregnant with two new Uchihas. He hadn't reacted well and she was so afraid something bad might have happened.

She was all alone in this strange room and she'd been changed out of her Yukata. It looked like hospital clothes. Little dots of gray covered the mint teal gown. It had snaps in the back and along the sides. She wasn't in any pain right now, but she noticed she was hooked up to a lot of equipment. It looked like Konoha's hospital. She had no idea how she'd gotten here or why. It was very disorienting and confusing.

She reached behind her bed to press the emergency help button. She'd never had to use it before. She didn't hear anything, but the red button lit up. A few minutes later, someone came in to see her. A familiar busty blonde, with her hair in pigtails...

"Tsunade? What's going on?"

"One of the other doctors had checked you out first, but they called me when they realized who you were." Tsunade explained hastily. She seemed to be in a hurry. "I've checked all your vitals and they seem to be okay now. But we had to put you on an IV drip because you clearly haven't been eating much. You had us _very_ worried."

"Where's Orochimaru? And do Kabuto and Itachi know I'm here?"

"We've notified them, yes. And Orochimaru is in the next room over, being treated for..." She flipped through several pages of charts and medical notes on a clipboard. "A stab wound. And paralysis. He hasn't regained consciousness yet, but he should recover in time."

"What about Sasuke? Did you see him? How did I even get here?"

"_Sasuke?_ What are you _talking_ about? I'm afraid no one knows what happened to either of you before you were brought here. A single mother found you on her way to work in the morning, just outside of town. She claimed you were lying on the ground, collapsed on top of Orochimaru, when she spotted you. She could tell you were pregnant and needed medical care, so she got help and instinctively brought you here. Want to tell me what's been going on?"

The way she said it implied that she was demanding an explanation. Tsunade wasn't in a rush, after all. She was pissed.

"Orochimaru and I were on a mission... We were supposed to find Sasuke, so we could tell him about the pregnancy. It involves the Uchiha clan, and he's going to be an Uncle and all, so I thought he'd want to know."

Tsunade scrunched up her nose, a sure sign that she was irritated. "And did you find him?"

"Yes. I told him about the pregnancy. He was not happy..." Sakura looked at the wall, never taking her eyes off one select spot. She couldn't focus on anything right now, and she definitely couldn't bring herself to make eye-contact with her doctor. "Things didn't turn out the way I'd hoped."

Tsunade placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Sakura... You wanted him to come back, didn't you?"

"..." The cat girl didn't speak.

"It's alright. We all do. It's just... He's such a trouble child, you know? I don't think anything will ever change his ways. You did the best you could."

"Actually... Now that I think about it, maybe things didn't turn out so bad... It could always be worse. And we did-"

"Don't be so proud of yourself just yet!" The blonde snapped. "I'm assuming that Orochimaru's wounds are due to an attack from Sasuke. You put yourself and your unborn children in grave danger."

"I know... In a way, I regret going. It wasn't worth it."

They heard a faint knock. Sakura craned her neck to try to see who it was, but she still couldn't see past the curtain that lined her bedside. Someone was at the door.

"Oh, looks like you have visitors. Come in!" Tsunade called to them.

Kabuto and Itachi walked in. Sakura's heart sank, as soon as she noticed the disappointed look on her husband's face. She'd made a promise to him and ended up letting him down. She knew the blonde woman was right... She'd put herself in great danger just by going.

"Silly woman. I told you not to go," Kabuto hugged her tight, being mindful of the IV still in her arm.

"I need to get this equipment off of you. You should be fine for now. You have to stay for a few more days before you can go home. I have to make sure nothing else is wrong. And you need to eat more often, missy." Tsunade scolded her like a mother.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry..." Sakura sighed. "I really am... I never meant for things to turn out this way. But Sasuke must still care, at least a little. After all, he did bring me here."

"You don't know _what _happened," Itachi reminded her, gently. "It could have been someone else who brought you back to Konoha."

"You weren't there, you wouldn't understa-"

"Don't presume to tell me what I would understand! I've been a member of our clan longer than you've been alive. And it very much concerns me. I love you! Kabuto and Orochimaru love you too! We've all been really worried about you."

Kabuto stared at him in confusion, adjusting his glasses and trying not to add anything else to the fight. "Just calm down... She's been through a lot these past few days. We all have."

"I did keep my promise!" Sakura defended herself. "I didn't fight him. I still feel really bad about what I did. But Orochimaru did all the fighting. Not me."

She chose to leave out the little part about kicking Suigetsu's ass. She was in enough trouble as it is. ...And the bastard had it coming.

"I'm sorry..." Her brother leaned over and nuzzled her. "The fact that he most likely brought you here, or at the very least arranged to have you brought here, shows that he does care. Even if he's not willing to come back."

"But in a way, it's also something of a giant 'fuck you' from Sasuke." Kabuto argued. "He was so close to Konoha, and we still couldn't catch him. No one even knew."

"That's true," Itachi agreed. "He's kind of washed his hands of the situation. Now that he knows we're looking for him, it will be impossible to find him."

"You're both right... It will be impossible now." Sakura's tail twitched on the bed, as Tsunade pulled the needle out of her arm. She winced, letting out a low-pitched hiss.

Her older brother took a deep breath before he spoke. "Don't feel like this mission was a failure. You were still able to accomplish what you set out to. Not many Shinobi could have run into him and lived to tell about it. You got the message to him. So it was still a successful mission."

The cat girl smiled. "You know what? That's a good point." She was glad Itachi had pointed that out.

"I almost forgot," Tsunade interrupted them. She gave a piece of paper to Sakura.

She unfolded the crumpled piece of paper very carefully, almost afraid of what may lie within it. There were only a few words, scribbled hastily in what she knew to be Sasuke's handwriting. She read it out loud, not caring what the others thought. She had to know the truth and so did they.

_"Sakura... If you're reading this, it means you've made it to the hospital in time._ _Suigetsu sends his apologies, and I do as well. I need some time to think about things. I made sure you got back to Konoha safely. It's the least I could do. I've respected your choices, so please respect mine. Don't bother coming after me. You should go about your business and just forget about me. Regards, Sasuke." _

"So he really was the one who brought you here," Kabuto said. "Or at least made sure you were brought here safely."

She nodded. Her eyes appeared to be gazing at something far away... Sakura was lost in her own thoughts. She was trying to remember what had happened, but her memory was too foggy.

"I don't remember passing out, but I do recall being in a lot of pain. I refrained from fighting as much as I could. It was really bad... I'm glad I made it here in time."

"You should be on strict bedrest for the rest of your pregnancy, just to be safe." Tsunade was back to her scolding.

"Yes. And there really is no point in going after him," Itachi made sure to get his point across to her. "Each time we try it, he only pulls further away. It's time to let go, for the time being."

"I know..." The cat girl squeaked, feeling helpless.

"Could I have a few minutes to speak with my wife alone, please?" Kabuto felt bad about asking, but he saw no other way to do this. "I need to speak with her about something, in private."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. He knew that meant he was not wanted here. He didn't know what he said to say, but he couldn't very well insist on staying when he wasn't welcome. Up until now, they had always discussed things as a group. It was sort of suspicious, but he chose to overlook it.

"Yes, of course."

"We can go check on Orochimaru and see if he's awake?" Tsunade suggested, to which the Uchiha nodded.

He and Tsunade left the hospital room and went down the hall to check on him. No one had seen the Sannin since the fight, other than his medical treatment, but he was conscious now. That was good.

The three of them chatted, and they filled him in on everything that had happened since he was knocked out from the paralysis jutsu. He helped them piece together part of what had occurred during the initial meeting with Sasuke, as well. They even let him read the note Sasuke had left. Even Itachi had been worried about him.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Sakura asked, her tail twitching out of curiosity.

"While you were gone, I spoke with your father quite a bit. It seems that after doing some research, I've determined that in Konoha, it's legal to marry more than one person. Most only marry once because it's tradition... However, there's nothing in our laws to stop someone from marrying multiple people."

Her feline eyes glanced all around the room. Anywhere was fine, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him now. "I see... So you've found someone else. I can't say I bla-"

"No, it isn't like that at all!" Kabuto embraced her as tightly as he could. "I want to discuss the possibility of adding Itachi and Orochimaru to the marriage... That is, if it's okay with you. I just thought it should make everyone happy. But I haven't mentioned it to them yet."

"Oh that's so sweet of you! I didn't know we could do that but... It sounds wonderful. But are you sure this won't be a problem for you? I love you and your happiness matters to me most of all."

Her husband smiled charmingly at her. "I love you too. I mean, this isn't something we have to do. Truthfully, Itachi and I have gotten along well while you and Orochimaru were gone. I've been very busy lately and they've both helped us out a lot. I was worried sick about you ever since you left for this mission. I wish I'd gone with you..."

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to put you through all of this."

"It's alright. Itachi calmed me down, and assured me that Orochimaru would take good care of you, which he obviously did. He told me that shortly after he'd been infected by the demon all those years ago, they were partners in Akatsuki... And Orochimaru had told him of his feelings for you, during the rare moments that he was still himself. I think he must have a good heart, beneath everything else. But I've always known that. Otherwise, I would never have worked for him. And I'm more than willing to share you, as long as things continue to work out the way they have been. I don't see any harm in it."

"I'm so happyyyyy! That's really sweet!" Sakura squealed, as she returned his hug. "I know I'm supposed to be resting, but do you think we could do it before the babies are born?" Her hand came to rest on her stomach, as it did naturally lately.

"Of course. I'll run it by them and get their feelings on it before we make it official."

"Okay. We can all talk about it when we get home. But I don't want to have a big ceremony or anything. People are judgmental enough of us, as it is."

"Hm. I agree." He cuddled with her for a few minutes.

The cat girl began to purr. She was really feeling a lot better after getting the medical care that she needed. She couldn't wait to find out what they would say when they found out... She wasn't entirely certain that everyone was happy with the situation. So this would be a good way to find out everyone's true feelings and see if this could really work long-term or not.

More than anything, she appreciated the fact that they were willing to work together for her happiness, and for their own as well. They all loved and cared for each other a lot.

Several minutes later, Tsunade had knocked on the door. She needed to do more tests to check on Sakura and the babies. Itachi and Kabuto said their goodbyes, and Kabuto told Tsunade to contact him as soon as she was able to come home.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up. **

***EXTRA WARNING* This chapter gets very adult, toward the end... I warn you now. It's VERY graphic. And be prepared for a super long chapter! xD**

* * *

><p>Chapter 21:<p>

It wasn't long until Sakura and Orochimaru had both been released from the hospital. He'd managed to make a full recovery. And she would be fine, as long as she found a way to force herself to eat without feeling sick. She'd had some really strange pregnancy cravings too, and she'd learned it was better to give in to them.

When they arrived back at the Uchiha mansion, they celebrated. Itachi made an elaborate steak dinner for everyone and Kabuto had made sure the house was spotless. Sakura was still feeling a little sick, but they managed to get her to keep the food down by giving her some tea to settle her stomach beforehand. It was delicious.

"I'm so glad you both made it back okay," Itachi was telling Orochimaru and Sakura. "We were so afraid something really awful would happen. I should have gone with you. And next time, I'll deal with Sasuke."

"It was no problem at all. I don't think I could stand it if something had've happened to you, Sakura..."

"Sakura and I have something we'd like to discuss with both of you." Kabuto decided now was as good a time as any. When he had their attention, he continued. "I've discovered that it's feasible, within the confines of Konoha's law, to add other people onto the marriage. Would the two of you be interested in something like that?"

"You really don't mind us being around?" Itachi could not cover up the shock in his voice.

"Not at all. In fact, I like having both of you around. And Sakura seems a lot happier not having to hide her feelings."

"It's true," Sakura smiled, feeling really happy now that everyone had agreed to it. "I love you all, and I want to show that love. I don't care if some people see it as wrong. It feels right, and that's what matters most."

The others turned to watch him, when they realized Orochimaru hadn't said a single word this whole time.

"I can't believe it..." The Sannin chose his words with care. "After all this time I've spent regretting the past, of wishing I could go back to the days when we were together, when the two of us had a future together... A-are you sure?"

Unable to contain his excitement, Orochimaru leaned over and gave Sakura and Kabuto a big hug. He didn't even care at this point. He was insanely happy. He'd gotten just what he'd wanted most.

"I'm so glad you're both willing to go through with it. Sakura was worried that you might not want to." Kabuto explained, getting up to put away the plates and start the dishes. He was being so casual about all of this...

"It is hard to believe," Itachi sounded hesitant. "I very much want to marry you, Sakura... I just have one more concern. I'm not sure if they'll allow us to marry, due to the fact that we're brother and sister."

"I didn't see any laws against that either." Kabuto stated.

"Yeah," Sakura added. "How do you think the legendary ninja clans, like the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans, got started to begin with? It's a well-known fact that sometimes they wanted to keep the bloodlines pure for the kekkei genkai to be as strong as possible."

"Wow... This is incredible news! And that's a good point." Itachi joined in the big group hug that was taking place on the other side of the table, between Sakura and Orochimaru. "Count me in."

"I'm so glad!"

He got down on one knee, somewhat jokingly but he was half-serious. "Sakura... Will you marry me?"

"Of course I will!" Sakura blushed at the gesture.

Orochimaru joined in on the madness that had ensued, kissing her passionately. Itachi encouraged them, and then kissed her too. She felt her cheeks heat up from being this close to both of them.

"The two of you haven't had much time alone lately..." Orochimaru got up, taking over the dishes from Kabuto. "I'll finish cleaning up."

"But you just got out of the hospital. are you sure?" Kabuto knew how bad his injuries were. He didn't want him to put too much strain on himself."

"No, let me get that." Itachi insisted. "I'm not injured and he's right, you do need more time with her. Enjoy it. After all, we can take turns."

"Let's do whatever Sakura wants." The medic suggested.

"I don't know what to do! But I am kind of tired, after everything that happened... And I don't feel good. I'll probably just go to bed. You guys can sort this out."

The cat girl yawned, taking her leave from the room. She was feeling particularly exhausted today. It was her first day out of the hospital. It was kind of cute how they argued about her, but still kept it civil. The three of them together were especially adorable. 

* * *

><p>Kabuto had taken his cue, and joined her in the bedroom. He saw her lying in the bed, looking so beautiful... Her hair was spread across the pillow on the center of the huge bed, it's sheets gray and black. He'd picked them out himself. Her tail twitched idly, as she lay sprawled out gracefully.<p>

He decided to climb into bed next to her. He noticed she looked a little upset.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure..." The cat girl winced in pain. "It's embarrassing, but... My breasts are so sore. They really hurt!"

"Maybe I should take a look..."

Her husband gently removed her kimono, so he could see what was going on better. The sight of her naked body was beautiful. Her breasts were very swollen, almost to twice their normal size. It was easy to see why she was distressed.

Kabuto was a medic, and he knew that some women had this problem when they were pregnant. Their breasts would produce so much milk that they had to be pumped, to avoid extreme pain and possible infection.

"Your breasts... Uhh..." He paused to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth. "They're really swollen."

"You think?" She replied, sarcastically. "I'm sorry, but they really hurt. And this is embarrassing."

"This is something that happens to pregnant women sometimes... You need to get the milk out of your breasts. The pressure must be causing you a lot of pain."

"I don't know what to do. Can you help me?" She bared her enormous breasts to him, and noticed him subtly licking his lips.

Gathering all the restraint he could manage, Kabuto gently grabbed her left boob and squeezed. Creamy bluish white milk came out, dripping down her stomach and onto her robe. He toyed with her nipples for a moment, forgetting himself at the thought of getting to touch her silky mounds...

"Have... uh..." He hesitated.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Have they, you know, cleared you... For um... _Things?_"

"Huh?" Sakura tilted her head in confusion.

"I mean... Are you able to... be with men?" He finally got the point across. He normally wouldn't care, but for some reason he felt really uncomfortable, given the nature of her circumstances.

She could not stifle her giggle. Kabuto could be so shy sometimes... "You are too cute! Haha... Yes, Tsunade said it was okay. And actually, it's good for the baby, until I get really close to going into labor. So it's fine."

Her husband visibly let out a sigh of relief. He was glad, but he didn't want to push her too far when she'd just gotten out of the hospital.

"I need to go get something to put the milk in. Normally we'd use a breast pump, but I forgot about this, and we don't have one. I don't want it to get everywhere and soak the whole bed or anything, and it might be a good idea to save it for the babies anyway. We can store it in the fridge when we're done. I'm sure we have something in the kitchen."

Sakura nodded. "That sounds good. Thank you for the help sweetie! I knew you'd know what to do." She gave him a small smile, as he left.

The cat girl was still in a lot of pain... Kabuto knew she was going to be, until he was able to help with her problem. He hurried downstairs to the kitchen, where he found Itachi still scrubbing away at the dishes.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Itachi seemed concerned. "Orochimaru was tired from their trip, and went to his room to sleep."

"I need an airtight jar. A really big one. Or several small ones, whichever..."

He seemed to be in a rush, already perusing through the various glass jars and bottles that lined the cupboards.

Itachi gave him two glass jars with lids, each of which were pretty big. He'd just finished washing them. "Will these work?"

"Sure, they're perfect. Thanks!"

"What in the world are they for?" The Uchiha glanced downward, noticing something strange... Kabuto had an erection tenting his pants. "Um... What's going on?"

Kabuto noticed too and made an attempt to cover himself. "I... uh... Sorry about that." He began to inch his way out of the kitchen. "Sakura needs my help with something. She's having a few complications tonight."

"Complications? Like what? Is she alright?" Itachi asked, with concern.

"Yeah, she should be. It's just... Her breasts are really swollen with milk, and she needs my help to get it out."

"That sounds like a fun job," He chuckled. "Mind if I join the two of you, after I finish up the dishes?"

"Yeah that sounds great... I think Sakura would like that. Just come in, the door won't be locked. Excuse me, but I have to go. She's in a lot of pain."

The medic nearly tripped over himself, going back up the stairs. 

* * *

><p>The Sannin leered at her, suggestively. He'd been in the kitchen helping Itachi, but he'd gotten tired. He had just been on a long journey, after all. After being excused, he'd been headed to bed before he noticed the door to her room had been left open. Naturally, he'd come to check on her, as he passed through the hall.<p>

He could tell she needed to be milked. Her breasts were bare, and completely swollen with all of the creamy liquid she had produced, in preparation for her childbirth.

"Having problems, my dear?"

Sakura jumped a little. "Oh! I didn't see you there... Yeah, just a little."

She made a modest effort to cover up, before realizing that it didn't really matter. The cat girl shrugged, and immediately watched as his eyes darted back to her swollen bosom.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well..." Sakura blushed. "My breasts really hurt. Kabuto went downstairs to get some jars to put the milk in. He should be back soon."

"Oh? There's no need for that. I happen to take that they look quite... _appetizing._"

Orochimaru was on top of her in an instant. Sakura mewled helplessly, as he began licking all over her chest with that skilled tongue of his... He was already expelling some of the milk, but he tried to catch most of it. He swallowed a little of it, savoring the strange exotic taste. He liked it, which for some reason made Sakura feel more embarrassed.

He gave a harsh suck to her nipple, making her almost cry out. It felt good to be relieved of some of the pressure, but it still kind of hurt, at the same time. Sakura didn't know what to do, so she just lied back against the headboard while he did his thing. She let her hand rest on the back of his head, lightly petting him as he toyed with her other nipple...

When Kabuto entered the room, he was greeted to the sight of the legendary Sannin sucking on his wife's nipples. His face was buried in her chest, and she seemed to be enjoying it. He smiled, wanting to join them but also hesitant to stop their fun.

"Oh! Kabuto! Y-you're back..." She mewled. "Mmm... That feels so good."

Orochimaru didn't stop. He climbed over her to the other side of the bed, and moved over to her right breast, giving Kabuto access to her left.

"Guess you already found someone to help you out."

With a wicked smirk, the medic opened the jars he'd obtained. He placed one beneath her left breast, and gently pressed the outer edges with his fingers. Milk sprayed out, the now yellow-white liquid was coating the bottom of the glass.

"Owie!" She cried.

"I know it's painful, but just try to bear with me..." He made an effort to expel even more of it. Soon the bottom of the jar was covered, and the amount of liquid was slowly rising.

Orochimaru was doing a good job on the other side, but Kabuto's method seemed to be getting it done more quickly.

"Mmmmnn..." She threw her head back, unable to contain her moan. This time, it sounded pleasurable. "It feels much better, now that you got some of it out."

"We're still far from done," Kabuto told her.

"How does it taste?" She asked Orochimaru. "I'm genuinely curious."

The snake man paused in his administrations, long enough to answer her. "Not bad really... A bit like cucumbers and cream." He then returned to what he was doing.

Sakura's face was very red by this point. What they were doing to her felt really wonderful. It felt good to begin with, and it was also relieving the pressure that surrounded her very tender breasts.

It was obvious that Kabuto was playing with them now and then. However, he was mostly concentrating on helping her feel better. Orochimaru, on the other hand, was making her feel better by deliberately stimulating her sexually, in an effort to take her mind off the pain she was feeling.

It did hurt when they squeezed her over-sized breasts, but she tried her best to cooperate. She had the urge to push them away whenever the pain got to be too much for her to stand, but she fought to allow them access to her body without restriction. The pain was gradually lessening, as they went on. Her hands gripped the bedsheets, clenching in an effort not to interfere with what they were doing.

Kabuto moved his hands from the back of her breasts, slowly pressing toward her nipples, to expel the milk. The creamy white liquid was filling the glass jar, slowly but surely. Sakura was no longer as embarrassed... They didn't seem to mind helping her feel better.

"Oh they feel much better now! Thank you both."

"We're hardly done yet..." Orochimaru snickered, between mouthfuls of milk.

"That's right," Kabuto added. "We want to help you feel better, but we have to get at least most of this out. We still have lots left to go. You probably should've brought this to our attention days ago."

"I know." She mewled, blushing. "Mmmm, feels amazing now... The pain is starting to lessen."

"That's a good sign."

The medic made sure to avoid contaminating the breast milk he was collecting. It wouldn't do for the babies to get sick due to carelessness.

In the midst of everything that was going on, they failed to notice someone else entering the room. Itachi weaseled his way into the bed as well... After finishing the dishes, he was alone in his private room, when he'd decided he would go for it after all and join them. His sensitive ears had picked up on her delicious sounding moans, and he just couldn't resist.

"Mind if I join the fun?"

"Of course, there's plenty of room." The cat girl squeaked, trying not to make anymore noises as they manipulated her sore breasts.

"Since I'm sure that hurts a lot, I'll do what I can to try to ease the pain from your mind..." The weasel purred, his silky voice just dripping with lust.

Sakura loved having all of this attention. The three men she loved the most were surrounding her, all with the intent of making her feel very good. Orochimaru's tongue was doing wonderful things to her right breast, while Kabuto was helping the ease the pressure on her left one.

"Mhmm... I've been waiting for this." Her brother said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Her blush deepened when Itachi dipped his hand below the waistband of her panties, and began peeling them off. She knew he wanted her. The two of them hadn't been together for a while now, and it was starting to get to her too.

The first thing he did was very carefully move around the others, and kiss her. He pressed his lips to hers with the usual desperate urgency that she had missed from him so much lately... Sakura kissed back, letting the waves of oncoming passion overwhelm her. His tongue danced with hers, twirling around it and capturing her full attention. He finally pulled back so the others could have a turn.

"You're amazing, Sakura..." Her brother's words caressed her ears.

"Let me have a turn," The Sannin purred, already closing the distance between them. "I've been dying to kiss her, and never stop, ever since the moment we were reunited."

Orochimaru kissed her next, allowing her to taste her own milk on his tongue... He took over her lips before she could do anything about it. He was right. It tasted strange. Kabuto also made out with her for several moments, before going back to milking her enormous breasts. Itachi took a moment to help Kabuto pump some of it.

He slowly slid down her body, teasing her with just his stare. Long black tresses tickled their way down her tummy, causing the babies to move a little. It still felt like butterflies in her stomach, but they were lower than usual. He noticed when Sakura squirmed a little. He continued to move down, eventually slipping off her panties. Her breasts shook with the effort it took for her to move, as they came off. And it caused her to expel even more milk.

"Ouch!"

"Maybe this will take your mind off of it..."

She watched the smirk slowly spread across her brother's face. The pleasure was too much, when Itachi began playing with her clit. At the same time, she felt Orochimaru's needle-like fangs bite down on her nipple again.

Kabuto touched her breasts soothingly, kissing her sweetly everywhere he could reach. Her neck and collarbones were covered with his kisses. He nibbled her neck, and squeezed her chest... She felt Orochimaru's hands move down to play with her butt a little, just touching and enjoying it.

Sakura arched her back when Itachi dipped a finger into her wetness. "Ah!" F-feels so good... Oh my..."

She loved the feeling of having all three of them on her at once. It was very obvious that it was getting her all hot and bothered. Everything they were doing felt completely wonderful. She almost didn't know what to do with herself. Her hands were tangled in Orochimaru silky black hair, while her lips met Kabuto's, and her other hand was laced through Itachi's fingers... Her moans were quickly growing in frequency.

Itachi plunged his fingers into her pussy, feeling her tense up around them. He wanted to be inside of her so badly... But instead, he reached down with his tongue, and licked her clit over and over. It drove her mad, and Sakura was bucking her hips lightly into his touch. She felt him rubbing her stomach too, trying to keep her calm.

They all looked so sexy... Sakura ran her hands down Kabuto's body, finding that he was hard and ready for her too. She toyed with her husband's erection, lightly stroking her hand over it.

"St-stop teasing me!" He cried out, with a little whine. "Nnnh..."

But she didn't. She wanted to tease him for a while. The cat girl removed his hard cock from his pants, and stroked it lovingly, up and down... It drove him wild. Kabuto moaned her name, trying to fight the urge to tear her clothes off and just take her...

Kabuto added his fingers to Itachi's hand, also penetrating her with his long smooth digits. The two of them fingered her together. Sakura moaned, letting her head fall back against the fluffy pillows. She wanted all of the men that surrounded her, so much... She didn't know what would happen or who should go first. She just wanted... She wanted...

"Ohhh fuck!" She screamed, her thighs clenching, as she had her first orgasm. "_Mmmm!_ I want _more!_"

She continued to jack Kabuto off. She used her other hand to do the same to Orochimaru, not wanting to leave anyone out. She also tried to touch Itachi, but he wouldn't let her. He moved away, suddenly. She thought maybe he'd chickened out and decided to leave. He noticed her worried look and patted her head, causing her kitty ears to flatten cutely.

"Don't worry, I'm far from finished with you..." Her brother taunted her. "Just getting a little more comfortable." He winked at her, and it sent shivers down her spine.

Itachi stood to remove his Akatsuki cloak.

"You're still wearing that thing?" Orochimaru heckled the poor guy. "It's kinda creepy..."

"Eh, hate all you want. You know you want this too, snake man."

"The only one I want is Sakura." He said, truthfully.

"And you'll get your turn with her soon enough." Itachi sneered. "I seem to recall you mentioning that you two managed to have a little fun on your way back from tracking Sasuke."

Sakura's jaw dropped when she noticed that he hadn't been wearing any clothes under the cloak. His big hard cock hung heavily between his legs, dripping a bit of precum from the tip. He stroked it sexily, before getting back onto the bed on his knees.

Sakura was ready for him, splaying her legs open dramatically, inviting him inside. The other two men were even nice enough to help hold her legs open for him. They wanted to make sure she was comfortable, most of all.

Kabuto placed the full jar of milk on the nightstand beside the bed, placing the lid on it carefully. He would have to put it into the refrigerator soon. But right now, he was more than distracted by the events that were unfolding before his eyes.

Soon, Sakura's brother was inside of her. Her pussy gripped him like a vice. He slid into her smoothly, being very careful to avoid putting too much pressure on her stomach. She felt so full and it felt so good. He began grinding into her, moving his hips back and forth. He went slowly at first, but gradually increased his pace. He was unable to hold back anymore...

At one point, Kabuto reached around and grabbed a handful of Itachi's ass. To which the Uchiha's eyes widened. Sakura could tell it threw off his rhythm a bit, and also stifled his seriousness, hindering his concentration.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist..." Was his only explanation.

Itachi smirked, and Sakura was unable to stifle a giggle. The seriousness resumed once more, and she ran her hands up and down her brother's body. She paused only to kiss Orochimaru, before continuing her trail over his smooth porcelain skin. She loved the way her brother looked.

She felt herself tighten around his thick shaft, milking his cum from him, as the others milked her dry as well. Tingles of pleasure moved rapidly up her spine. Everything spun out of control, as her whole world fell around her... An orgasm hitting her with powerful force.

Soon he was finished, crying out her name as he came within her. "Aaagh! Saku... Sakura... _Aaah!_"

The fun was far from over... As soon as Itachi had finished what he was doing, Kabuto was on her like lightning. He'd thought watching his wife partake of sex with other men would make him really jealous, but that wasn't it at all. It had been a huge turn-on for him. Hearing her adorable squeaks and sinful moans were enough to have him aching for her, before Itachi had even finished.

Sakura didn't have time to adjust to the switch. One minute Itachi was inside of her, than as soon as he was out, Kabuto had entered. His hard cock pulsed within her walls. Her body was still begging for more. Her husband began to plow into her, taking his time to toy with her breasts as he did so.

Orochimaru and Itachi exchanged mischievous looks. Orochimaru placed an arm around Sakura's back, and Itachi the same to her lower back. They slowly flipped her so that she'd be on top of Kabuto, riding him. The cat girl blushed, but she could not object. This new position took a lot of the pressure off her stomach, which made her back feel better. And at least her breasts no longer hurt.

"Ohhh, you're so beautiful and sexy..." Kabuto told his wife. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

She experimentally shifted her hips different ways, trying to get a feel for what she was doing. She rose her knees and allowed herself to fall back onto his shaft. Kabuto bucked his hips into her tight warmth... He could not contain his moans of pleasure. She was driving him crazy moving around like that.

"Mmm... Yeah... Just like that..." He licked his lips, before picking up a steady rhythm.

It felt amazing to Sakura, who was still trying to keep her composure. "Ah! Oh yes, please... Mmmm- More!" She cried out, unable to contain her cries of pleasure any longer.

She shifted her hips up and down, wanting to bring him as much pleasure as he was bringing her. Kabuto placed a hand around her waist to help steady her. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall... He soon lost himself within the multitude of feelings she caused in him.

It didn't take long for them both to finish. Just being close to each other was enough to send them over the edge.

"Mmmmm! Sakura! Aaah!" Kabuto cried out her name as he came.

"Mmm... Kabuto..." She panted. "That was lovely."

Her husband quickly slid from beneath her, going back to his place at the head of the bed. He intended to enjoy the rest of the show.

Orochimaru didn't even let her get up. He'd been undressing himself while Kabuto was busy with the girl. He slid into her from behind, taking her doggy style. Sakura liked the way it felt. She squirmed beneath him, trying to get into a comfortable position on her hands and knees.

"I think I'm ready for round two..." Itachi muttered.

Kabuto looked at him, not knowing what he meant. The Uchiha's hands were suddenly all over him, going everywhere at once. They touched his chest, moving down to his groin, then around to squeeze his ass, and finally back up to his face. Itachi pulled him in close, until their faces were mere inches apart.

Sakura watched all of this with an amused smirk on her face. She didn't get to stare for too long though, because Orochimaru's enormous member was already slipping into her soaking wet hole.

"Nnngh!" She groaned, as his massive cock stretched her open. "Nnnh, yes! Take me..."

"Oh, I intend to..." Orochimaru chuckled, darkly.

Kabuto looked at his brother-in-law like he was crazy or something. "Uhh... Itachi? What are you doing?"

Itachi's lips met his. "Just relax. It'll be fine."

Before he could do anything, the Uchiha's talented tongue was making it's way along his lower lip, creeping into his mouth. Kabuto hesitated for a moment, before finally opening his mouth and giving in to the kiss. The two attacked each other... Their tongue twirled, their lips smacked together, their bodies entangled...

He would have been lying if he said he weren't attracted to Itachi. Everyone could sense their attraction for one another. Neither had chosen to act on it yet, but they needed something to keep themselves busy while Orochimaru had his fun with Sakura anyway.

Kabuto palmed Itachi's erection, making him grit his teeth and hiss. He clearly wanted him badly... It didn't take long for him to become hard again too.

Orochimaru enjoyed watching the scene unfold before him. He was balls deep inside Sakura now, the one thing he'd wanted for so long... And soon she would be his, when they added him to the marriage. It was all he'd ever wanted. Had she not been there, he might have chosen to partake in their little threesome, but right now all he wanted was her.

Itachi opened the bedside drawer, taking out a small bottle. In a matter of minutes, he had Kabuto all lubed up and ready to go. He'd stretched his entrance with his fingers, enjoying the warm feeling that enveloped them. The medic wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen later, but so far Itachi had made him feel really good. He was bent over on the bed, a pillow resting under his hips.

"Itaaaaa..." His cries faded into nothing, as the Uchiha entered him from behind.

"Shhh, it's okay..."

He waited several minutes, giving Kabuto time to adjust to being stretched in such a way. He began making small thrusting motions with his hips, until his length was buried all the way inside.

Sakura was moaning on the bed next to him. She smiled when her husband reached out his hand and wove their fingers together. They felt nothing but tender love coming from all of them. Itachi rubbed up and down his back, lightly massaging him as they made love. Orochimaru was about to lose it. His breathing was getting more shallow, and he was speeding up more and more.

"Mmm... You feel so incredible..." Orochimaru used his long tongue to lick her breasts, from behind her. After a while, he flipped her over onto her back. "I figured you might need a break."

"Aww, thanks. That's sweet of you." To her astonishment, it was Kabuto who had thanked him for her.

"I suppose it is," Sakura giggled. But her giggle quickly turned into a moan. "Ohhhh... Orochimaruuuuu!"

He was moving his hips side to side and back and forth, teasing her a little, before letting loose on her. The Sannin felt that he would come undone soon... He continued to fuck her brains out.

He could tell Itachi was enjoying himself, in Kabuto's tight ass. The Uchiha had barely spoken this entire time. His eyes were glazed over. He kept up the same steady rhythm, enjoying the way his cock pulsed with every movement. The way they seemed to anticipate each other's movements, it was like magic.

"Mmmm... Yeah, fuck me harder I'm about to cum..." Kabuto groaned.

That was all it took. Itachi began fucking him with a ferocity seldom seen before... It was as if his life depended on it. And from the way he felt right then, it just might. He wanted and needed him.

"Nnnnnnhhhh!" He whined, spilling his seed into the young medic.

He'd been nervous at first, but now he was really glad they'd done this. There was just one problem... Kabuto's boner still hadn't gone away. He noticed Itachi touching it, and licking his lips. Before he knew it, the Uchiha's talented mouth was encompassing his member, swallowing him whole. He moaned loudly, as Itachi gave him the best blowjob of his life...

Sakura was enjoying herself, bucking her hips against Orochimaru's body. She could feel his every movement, as he took her to the heights of ecstasy... The white hot feeling of pure pleasure grew in her core until she couldn't feel anything else. And finally, it all exploded at once, as they came over the edge together.

"Agh! Sakuraaaahh..." The Sannin moaned her name, the sudden release washing over his entire being all at once.

"Mmmmm..." She purred, meeting the sweet ending to her orgasmic bliss, at last.

Sakura practically melted into him. She cuddled against his side, as the two of them laid down together. Orochimaru moved them to the other side of the bed so they could give Itachi and Kabuto plenty of room to finish their fun. He and Sakura watched them through glazed, sleepy eyes...

Itachi's tongue danced over the tip of Kabuto's hardened member. He loved the way it felt so much that he whined a little when the Uchiha pulled away. He decided to lie down on his stomach now, and waited for Kabuto to do something.

The medic couldn't resist. He took the same bottle of lube, and coated his fingers. Anxiously, he pried Itachi's cheeks apart and spread it around, before going inside. It was a very tight fit. He made sure to stretch him as much as he could.

"A-are you sure this is okay?" Kabuto seemed hesitant.

"It's fine," Itachi smiled at him. "Let's have some fun."

Sakura chose not to say anything. She didn't want to interrupt them... But her eyes were glued to her brother's tight ass, as Kabuto penetrated him with one swift motion.

He was inside of him... The one person he'd never expected to have any sort of connection with. Especially not like this. Kabuto marveled at the irony of the situation. He didn't have long to think about it though. Itachi made sure that his mind and body were well occupied with the task at hand. He could feel the Uchiha's ass gripping him like a vice.

"Nnnnnhh... Feels amazing."

"Aah!" Itachi cried out, when he felt the big hard cock sinking it's way into his ass.

Itachi winced at the sharp pain, as he adjusted to Kabuto's thickness. He glanced to his left for a brief moment in an effort to take his mind off it. He was met with a devilish grin from Orochimaru, who was apparently getting a kick out of watching the two of them.

Despite his prior claims of being gay, Kabuto did not have that much experience with men. Especially when it came to things like this. But Itachi was so sexy, and the man clearly wanted him. It was nice to feel included; to feel needed, to feel that someone wanted him so much...

Once they had a rhythm built up, it was incredible. Every time Kabuto thrust his hips forward, Itachi would arch backward to meet him.

"Ohhh god, right there!" The Uchiha let out a pent-up moan.

"You seem to be enjoying this." Kabuto chuckled. "I admit, I have wanted to try this with you for a while now."

The only response he got from Itachi was another loud moan. He couldn't even form a coherent sentence, at that point. "Ohhh... Mmmm!"

"Fuck! Y-yeah..." The medic's cried out when he was pushed over the edge, one final time, emptying himself into Itachi.

The weasel collapsed under him on the bed, causing Kabuto to fall on top of him. They didn't care right now. Things had gotten so intense, so quickly. Both men needed a moment to catch their breaths.

Kabuto turned his head, to face his wife, who was watching them the whole time with interest. Wordlessly, he held her close. All of them started cuddling together.

Orochimaru didn't seem to object to the cuddle-fest that ensued. One of his hands snaked around her waist, going up to her chest. He began toying with her breasts. First he rubbed all over both of them, before going to squeeze her nipples, making sure they'd gotten all of the milk out. A few drops dripped onto the bedsheets, but it was nothing to be concerned about. The sheets were already soaked with cum anyway...

Her breasts had almost returned to their normal size, but they were still slightly swollen. Sakura had to admit, they felt much better now.

"That... was amazing." Kabuto smiled at the love of his life, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Mhmm... I'm just glad everyone had fun."

Orochimaru and Itachi both nodded their agreement, before the Sannin began to get up. He didn't get completely dressed, just put a robe on. He borrowed one of Kabuto's. He didn't think he'd care all that much right now.

"Where are you going?" The cat girl's tail twitched out of curiosity.

"Someone's got to put the milk away," He explained, picking up both of the glass jars that had been left by the bedside. "I'll put them in the fridge. Do you want anything while I'm downstairs?" The question was intended for everyone, but the two other men just waved him off, too tired to care.

"Well, I'm really craving chocolate right now..." Sakura squeaked, shyly.

"Anyone else? No? I'll be right back."

Orochimaru left the room. She heard the door click closed behind him. Several minutes later, he returned with a small bag of chocolate for her, and a glass of regular milk.

"Thank you so much!" She nearly attacked the bag.

"Looks like you worked up quite an appetite, sis." Itachi chuckled, patting her head.

"Not funny..." Sakura muttered.

As soon as she'd finished adhering to her cravings, she was out like a light. The cat girl had fallen asleep, half of her resting on Itachi and the other half on Kabuto. Orochimaru decided he'd might as well just stay there for the night, since everyone had gotten comfortable again.

The four of them fell asleep together, with smiles on their faces, and in their hearts...


	22. Chapter 22

**Chains of Fate (Sequel to Silver Bells) **  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters/settings. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This is just a fanfiction story. **

**This story is written for RukarioHadou and Sakura Uchiha belongs to her. c; **

*****WARNINGS: This story contains graphic adult content, hints at past abuse of various kinds, incest, violence, and explicit sex scenes. If you can't handle my sick and twisted mind then you, my friend, are reading the wrong story. It also may contain slight spoilers if you aren't completely caught up. **

***EXTRA WARNINGS: This chapter contains a semi-graphic depiction of childbirth and adult content, for that reason. **

**This is the final chapter of the story. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 22:<p>

She was panting furiously... The trees and all the buildings rushed by in a colored blur. Sakura was in intense pain, and she could barely focus on anything else. People were talking, but she wasn't paying attention to them, at this point.

Orochimaru and Itachi were both carrying her. She wouldn't have trusted ordinary men with this task, but they were highly skilled Shinobi... And they cared about her wellbeing too much to let anything happen to her. Ninjas weren't exactly known for being clumsy. And she trusted them. They had good instincts. Even if they did drop her, they had good enough reflexes to be able to catch her before she hit the ground anyway.

"Hold on Sakura!" Orochimaru called to her. "We're almost there! Just a few more blocks!"

The big worry on her mind, however, was whether she would actually make it to the hospital in time. She didn't want to give birth out in the middle of Konoha, in the filthy street. She didn't dare let out her breath until she sighted the familiar green and white building...

At last, they reached the hospital! She breathed a sigh of relief. Itachi helped Orochimaru carry her inside. Kabuto was close behind them, and he stayed behind in the lobby to handle the paperwork. As her first husband, it was his duty to do so.

The nurses were already in a flurry, rushing to get things ready for her. As soon as they saw her, they knew what she was there for. Due to her swollen belly, and the way she was panting, it was obvious. And they knew her from her regular visits. She'd had quite a few complications during her pregnancy.

"Sakura Uchiha?" A nurse asked, hurriedly making way for them to get through the halls.

Itachi nodded. "Yes, this is her, and she's already in labor. We don't have much time. Which way is the maternity ward?"

"The delivery room is through those double doors, right in front of you!" Another nurse called.

"Thank you!" Orochimaru opened the doors, while Itachi carried her in.

"Aaah! It huuuurts!" The cat girl cried pitifully.

"I know, but you'll be all done soon..." Itachi kissed her forehead, laying her down in a huge bed. Her forehead was a little sweaty, but he didn't mind.

Sakura couldn't believe how much this hurt. She'd been expecting pain, but not like this! She wanted to escape so badly right now, but there was no way out... Soon, her children would be born and it would all be over.

She was glad they were all being allowed to go back with her. A month ago, she and Kabuto had filed the paperwork to add Orochimaru and Itachi to their marriage. They were very happy about it, and they'd had a small celebration at home with friends. It was nice having everyone together. And now it was official.

All of them had some wild sex when she was feeling up to it, but they left her alone when she wasn't. They'd stopped for the last couple of weeks. They'd all done their best to take care of her, and they all pitch in to make her as comfortable as possible. Even now, everyone was

Tsunade and Shizune entered the room, along with tons of other nurses. They were on standby, in case something went wrong.

Sakura was feeling a lot better, but she'd still been having trouble eating most of the time. And her complications had gotten worse. During the last month of her pregnancy, she'd experienced false contractions a lot and she'd been in a lot of pain. She knew it would all be worth it in the end though.

She saw Kabuto come through the door, and instantly felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders...

"Kabuto... Come here..." She rasped, in between bouts of heavy panting.

Her husband walked over to her, instantly holding her hand. Itachi thought it was cute, and decided to hold her other hand. Sakura felt so safe and loved... She couldn't understand why some women got angry with their husbands in the delivery room. Even through the pain, she still felt their love.

"Why is she breathing like that?" Orochimaru asked, almost clueless when it came to this kind of thing.

"That's normal," Tsunade explained, pulling up a stool to sit near the bed. She then addressed her patient. "Just breathe however you want, but make sure you don't hold your breath too long. In and out... It looks like your water just broke. Push when you feel the urge to push, but when you feel too weak, just take a break and try to relax."

"Don't be nervous." Kabuto added. "This is a natural part of life. You'll be okay..."

Sakura couldn't say much in response, but she nodded to them. She felt another contraction start, and she pushed, slightly.

As the others all chimed in, telling her soothing things, there was a commotion out in the hall. It sounded like there was some kind of disturbance near the front of the hospital... The cat girl looked around, scared and confused. She heard the nurses screaming, and she adjusted her ears. She thought she could make out what some of them were saying...

"Oh my god! That's... He's Sasuke Uchiha!" One of the nurses shrieked.

"What's he doing here?" Another asked in a hushed tone, although her voice was still raised from shock.

"Let me in, and no one gets hurt..." The stone cold voice of one of the most terrifying members of the Shinobi world rang out among all of the murmurs and loud terrified shrieks.

"No way!" Another spoke up. "You _can't _go in _there!_ She's in labor!"

"Shut up, that's the point."

Sakura felt pure fear flood through her. Maybe Itachi was right, maybe she shouldn't have told him about the pregnancy at all... She was almost certain he was here to kill her, and her children. Right now, there was nothing she could do about it. She was vulnerable. She looked up at the strong men surrounding her, knowing they would do all they could to protect her. But would it be enough?

As if reading her thoughts, Itachi moved quickly to stand between his beloved new wife and the doorway. He also knew who was about to come through it. This had the potential to turn very dangerous very quickly.

"Stay calm, Sakura. It will be okay." She heard Tsunade telling her, from below her legs.

As soon as his piercing eyes locked with hers, she knew he most likely wasn't sure of the reason himself. Not yet, anyway. His stare was enough to make her blood run cold. She was unable to push through several contractions, due to the heart-wrenching fear. Sakura squeezed Kabuto's hand tight.

"I won't allow any harm to come to her." Itachi stopped his brother at the door. "I don't want it to have to come to this. If you insist on going through all of us... If you insist on fighting me, then I insist that we take it outside. A hospital room is no place for a fight."

"That couldn't be further from the truth," Sasuke explained, already attempting to brush past his older brother.

But Itachi wasn't having it. "What are you doing here?" He blocked his way, refusing to allow him anywhere near their sister.

"Will you move out of the way already? I'm not going to hurt her!"

While Itachi didn't exactly trust him, he could only assume that he was telling the truth. Kabuto squeezed her hand even tighter, while Sasuke made his way over to them. He had his other hand inside his pocket, resting on the handle of his scalpel, should any sudden movements happen.

Sakura took comfort in the fact that his Sharingan was not active, as he walked toward her. Two onyx orbs looked back at her, their depths giving away absolutely nothing...

"There's no way I could stand not being here for the birth," Sasuke said. "I promise I won't get in the way. And if I must, I will leave afterward. I just want to meet them. I want to be here for the revival of our clan."

Itachi came up behind him. He whacked the little brat on the head. "Don't scare her like that when she's in labor, you idiot!"

Sasuke laughed, moving to hug his sister. Sakura hugged him back, smiling as she did so. It was nice to know he was there for good reasons, and not bad ones.

"I'm glad you could make it." She told him, small tears falling from the corners of her eyes.

Tsunade was doing everything she could to ease Sakura's labor pains, but that was not an easy task. She was busy trying to ensure that everything was okay. She couldn't have stopped any fighting right now if she tried. Her only priority was making sure the babies were born safely.

"Where is Suigetsu?" Orochimaru asked his former disciple.

"They wouldn't let him come in." Sasuke shrugged. "He's waiting outside, at least until after the babies are born."

From the look on his face, he was probably wondering what her reaction would be to the fact that such a person was here. When Sakura made up her mind to forgive someone, she completely forgave them and forgot about it. She refused to hold any unnecessary grudges. She wouldn't let that kind of hatred taint her life, the way she'd seen it do that to so many others...

The cat girl was distracted by another contraction. This time she really put a lot of effort into pushing, but it didn't feel like she was getting anywhere. She was beginning to feel discouraged.

Sasuke was not the only uninvited guest to show up. Moments later, the Third Hokage walked into the large hospital room.

"Quite a nice maternity ward they've built here," He smiled jovially, taking a quick puff off his pipe.

"_Eeeee! Put that out!_" Shizune screeched. "Or take it outside! You can't smoke around newborns!"

"Okay, okay... You don't have to make such a fuss. I'll be on my way out soon anyway. No point crowding her at a time like this." He approached his daughter, his pride in her somehow showing through his big smile. "How are you doing, my dear?"

"Thanks for coming, Father. I've been better," She chose to answer him honestly. "I'm nervous."

He laughed. "I'm sure. I just couldn't resist being here for the birth of my grandchildren. But the room is already crowded and I don't want to add any stress or be a bother, so I'll be waiting in the lobby. Send someone to fetch me once they are born?"

"But you're no bother at all! You're never a bother, and I'm really happy to have you here." Sakura assured him. She glanced at Sasuke. "_All_ of you."

"I know, but there's no need to overcrowd the room, just in case. I'll be here for you if you need me, just send one of the nurses for me."

"Alright. I will... Nnngh!" She clutched her stomach, almost doubled-over in pain, as another contraction hit her.

"I'll leave you be... Good luck dear!" The Hokage fled the room after it was clear that she was going to be okay.

Her contractions were starting to come more frequently now, and they were a lot stronger than they had been at first. She struggled not to cry out of sheer frustration, with the last one. The recent stress didn't help.

"I'm not sure if you know it or not," Sasuke told her, standing beside Kabuto and Itachi as they held her hands. "But a lot of people have gathered outside the hospital. This is important to all of Konoha. Everyone cares and wants to meet the babies and be there for the birth of the new Uchiha clan..."

"That's really sweet..." She mewled, taking a break in between pushing sessions.

Sakura tried her best to keep her concentration... It meant a lot to her that all of her loved ones were there. It meant even more that so many other people cared too. It truly did mean a lot that everyone had shown up for the birth. She hadn't been expecting that.

She panted and growled and tried several different pushing techniques. She didn't want her labor to stretch on very long, but she was sure it had already been several hours. Shizune helped her change positions a few times, until she found one that was comfortable for her. As soon as she did, one of the babies would move, and she'd have to start all over.

This went on for many more hours. Everyone was starting to get tired, especially Sakura. She was doing all the work!

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Tsunade finally announced. "I can see the head crowning!"

Sakura had almost given up several times, due to exhaustion. She'd had to take breaks in between trying to push, because this was stretching on for quite a bit... And there was blood everywhere.

"You can do it, Sakura! I love you." Kabuto told her.

"Yeah!" Orochimaru added. "Just do your best. I love you and believe in you."

"We all love and care for you, so much..." Itachi patted her head, trying to help calm her.

Sasuke chose to remain silent, but their mere presence was enough to add encouragement.

They still didn't know the gender of the babies... She hoped they would be okay. Sakura was no idiot. She knew that a lot of things had the potential to go wrong during a labor and delivery, and also afterward. She was very worried about their wellbeing, even more so than her own.

Shizune noticed her worried look and tried to give her something else to focus on. "Try to rest in between contractions, and during contractions, try to push as hard as you can." She knew the time of the birth was drawing near...

Sakura nodded. Her face was bright red, and she was covered in sweat from overexerting herself. She could tell she was very close to having one of her babies. It was instinct. Everyone was cheering her on, and that helped her a lot. She was grateful to have all of these wonderful people in her life. She felt a tight feeling in her stomach, as the contractions started once again. She beared down with all her might, and at last, her first child was born.

The baby's cries could be heard almost immediately.

"It's a boy!" Tsunade revealed, her voice full of joy and wonder. "A healthy boy, at that!"

Everyone cheered and they all hugged each other. Sakura had the biggest smile on her face that any of them had ever seen. They gave the little one to her to hold, as his umbilical cord was cut. His crying ceased soon after she cradled him close to her. She looked into his beautiful blue eyes, knowing the color would change later...

Tsunade performed a quick chakra test to see who the father was. "This one is Itachi's child. That means the other belongs to Kabuto." She smiled.

"So, the legends are true..." Sasuke muttered, knowing all too well that this was due to the Jinchuuriki which resided within her. He was staring at the child, in awe.

Sakura gave the little one to Itachi to hold. She could already feel her next contractions beginning. And it was only fair that he got to hold the baby before anyone else. His father smiled down at him proudly, already falling in love with the adorable little bundle of joy. He was at a loss for words.

She felt even more contractions coming on, and she pushed with all her might. She had the hang of it now. A few minutes later, the other baby was born. Sakura had never been more proud of anything in her entire life.

"This one's a boy too!" Tsunade said.

Shizune clapped. "Eeee! Congratulations!"

He was crying quite loudly too. And just like his brother, he had calmed as soon as his mother held him. She held him for a few minutes, before also handing him to his father to hold.

"I've never seen anything more precious in my whole life." Kabuto stated, his heart swelling during this perfect moment, when he finally got to hold his son.

Shizune held up a clipboard, with several documents pinned to it, two of which were birth certificates. "I'll need to know what you intend to name each of them, so I can record it. Have you decided on any names yet?"

The room was silent. This was something they hadn't really discussed yet.

"Until a few minutes ago, we didn't even know they were both boys." Sakura looked to her significant others for guidance. "And we haven't talked about this yet. I'm really not sure what we should name them... I guess I'll leave it up to their fathers?"

"Well, I'll be a little conceited and name our son after me." Kabuto decided, just like that. He was pretty good at making on-the-fly decisions like that.

"Really? That's so cute!" Sakura mewled.

"I'll need to give it some thought," Itachi looked at his son. "Do you want to hold him for a minute, Sasuke?"

Their new Uncle seemed hesitant. All eyes in the room were now focused on him, as he reached to take the baby from his older brother. He made sure to support the baby's head.

"Perfect!" He stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "He has your eyes, Sakura." He noticed how cat-like they already appeared.

"I'm sure he'll have our clan's eyes, in time." She replied.

"No pressure, but let me know when you figure out a name for the little Uchiha prince." Shizune began to put the clipboard down.

It was then that a sudden though came to Sakura. Her tail twitched excitedly. "I got it! The perfect name for him..." She blushed when everyone, including Itachi, looked at her expectantly. "Would it be alright if we named him after his Uncle Sasuke?"

Itachi smiled. "That would be wonderful."

"A-are you sure?" Sasuke himself seemed stunned. His face turned bright red. He was actually blushing like a tomato!

"Yes, let's name him Sasuke." His father quickly agreed, already taking him back from his brother.

"Would you like to hold him too?" Kabuto offered Orochimaru.

"Sure..."

While the Sannin seemed nervous, he happily took the infant in his arms. He smiled down at him, and the little Kabuto cooed at him. He laughed. It was sweet.

Sakura was immensely happy. Her face almost could not contain the brightness of her smile. She'd never felt like this before, and she knew nothing could ever match this feeling, not in her entire lifetime... It was amazing to experience such a miracle.

One of the assistant nurses had notified the Hokage of the birth of his grandsons. Itachi and Orochimaru approached them with the little ones, as soon they spotted Sarutobi coming in. To everyone's astonishment, Suigetsu came in behind him.

The Hokage took one in each arm, smiling the biggest smile Sakura had ever seen him smile. It was obvious how proud he was. "Why hello, little ones... What are their names?"

"That's one is Kabuto, and that one's Sasuke." Itachi pointed to each of them.

Both babies were soon passed around the room, so that everyone could have a turn holding them. They seemed the calmest around Sakura, which was natural.

One of the babies had shiny silver hair, the other jet black. It was somewhat obvious who the fathers were. Sarutobi held them each for several minutes, before giving them back to their respective fathers. Little Sasuke began to cry, soon after Itachi held him. The other started crying in Kabuto's arms too.

He only smiled.

"They're probably both hungry," Itachi said, carrying his child back to Sakura. "And they've had an exciting first day."

Both children were given back to their mother. She was sure they were hungry, and as soon as they were returned to her, each of them latched onto a breast for their first feeding. She didn't even care that everyone was there. Feeding her children was something natural, and she had to do it.

"Hungry little things, aren't they?" Orochimaru cooed. It turned out that even he had a soft spot for this kind of thing.

"They're both so sweet and cute," Sakura agreed, though her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

She'd been very quiet this whole time. Kabuto was starting to worry about her.

"What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," She tried to manage a smile, as she fed her newborns. "Just... getting a little emotional right now. I keep thinking about the daughter we lost, and how much I miss her..."

He became crestfallen. "It'll be alright, love." He placed a gentle hand on her arm for support. He patted his son's head, watching him eating.

The others in the room looked really confused. But not Orochimaru... His eyes gaze fell downcast, suddenly. All he could do was stare at the cold, empty floor, sadly. He could not meet their gaze, after what he'd done. It was long before any of this had ever happened... And still, he could not live with the guilt. He could not meet their gaze, after what he'd done... Even though it hadn't really been him, he still felt responsible.

"That's behind us now," Kabuto assured his wife. "We shouldn't worry over it."

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry for bringing it up. No need to feel bad. Today is a happy day." Her smile was back. And with it, everyone else's seemed to return too.

Everyone understood that whatever happened, it was obviously a sore subject for her. And now was not the time for that... So they all silently agreed to drop it.

They spent the rest of the day being happy about the new babies, who cooed and squealed joyously. After their first feeding, they had to be taken away to have tests done and make sure they were alright and healthy, which was standard protocol. Shizune took them into another room, and Tsunade put Sakura on pain medication. She'd just been through a lot. 

* * *

><p>The following day, Sakura and her newborn children were allowed to leave the hospital. She was told that they were perfectly healthy and should be just fine. She was so proud of herself. The others escorted her and the babies outside.<p>

This was a joyous day. Many people from all around Konoha had come out to celebrate. A massive crowd had gathered outside the hospital. The masses clapped and cheered, as the family emerged. Everyone wanted a glimpse of the newborn twins. Their birth signified a new era... It meant the beginning of a new Uchiha clan, hopefully with a better result than the previous one. This was a very big deal for the whole village.

Sakura ducked away from the crowd, allowing Itachi, Orochimaru, and Kabuto to protect her. She also had the protection of Sasuke and Suigetsu, although she hadn't asked for it. They were going home now.

They could use some extra help around the house, especially right now with two new little ones to raise, so all of them had talked and they had agreed that it would be alright for Sasuke and Suigetsu to stay with them. They may not be a conventional family, but they were even stronger than most could ever hope to be. And Sakura had forgiven both of them. She knew they would never betray her trust again.

When they reached the Uchiha mansion, the cat girl opened the front door for everyone, and it solemnly closed behind them.

Sakura Uchiha was surrounded by so many people who loved her. And she loved them as well. Things could not possibly be any more perfect than they were in that one loving moment... She hoped things would continue to be this perfect forever. 

* * *

><p>THE END<p> 


End file.
